Creevykeel Court Tomb

Creevykeel Court Tomb is located 2km north-east of Cliffony, Co. Sligo, and is considered to be the largest and finest example of a court tomb in Ireland. One of five megalithic monuments in the area, this court tomb, is also known as a court cairn. It dates to between 4000 and 2500BC, the Neolithic period, with Early Christian usage located to the north-west.

The cairn of stones is trapezoidal. The internal oval court, entered via an entrance passage, measures 15m long by 9m wide. The largest of the internal court stones flank the entrance to the main chamber within. The main chamber, originally corbelled, roofed with a roof stone is divided into two. Creevykeel was excavated in 1935 under Hugh O’Neill Hencken. The excavation removed the cairn completely and replaced all the stones after excavation. The excavation showed the stones used were local grey sandstone, with the cairn surrounded by a stone revetment (a protective measure). The tomb was found to have had cobble-stone flooring. A polished diorite axe was part of the finds, along with pots, quartz crystals, a flint knife and a lozenge shaped arrow head. Animal bones found included sheep, pig, ox, with fish and periwinkles also unearthed.

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This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014