This ancient burial chamber was accidentally discovered in 1969 when a farmer’s plough struck its capstone, revealing what locals reported to be a complete vase inside. Though the vessel had actually broken into pieces by the time it reached the National Museum of Ireland in 1971, it turned out to be a remarkable tripartite vase; a distinctive style of pottery divided into three sections that was particularly prized during the Bronze Age.

The cist itself is a modest but carefully constructed stone box, measuring just 0.75 metres long and 0.4 metres wide, with walls made from four main slabs set upright into the ground. The Bronze Age builders added an interesting architectural detail; they placed thin stone slabs on top of the northwest and northeast walls to raise their height, ensuring the heavy capstone would rest evenly on all four sides. The floor was neatly paved with a single slab, and the whole structure was sunk into a pit that measured about 1.38 metres across. When archaeologist Michael Kelly properly excavated the site for the National Museum in 1978, nine years after its discovery, the cist was empty, but evidence suggested the vase had originally been placed at its centre.

After the initial discovery, the farmer thoughtfully resealed the cist in 1969, preserving it until Kelly’s official investigation could take place. The large capstone, which extends beyond the southeastern end of the burial chamber, had been relocated in 1978, allowing archaeologists to properly document this Bronze Age burial site. Today, this unassuming monument stands as a reminder of the sophisticated burial practices of Ireland’s prehistoric inhabitants, who chose this elevated spot with its commanding views as a final resting place, complete with carefully crafted pottery to accompany the deceased into the afterlife.