Water Toys From The 80's

Loughcrew (Sliabh na Caille)

Sliabh na Caille, the Mountain Witch. This is also known in Gaelic Loughcrew the site, west of the town of Kells and the south of Oldcastle, County Meath. As part of a large portion of the mountains and hills, extending in an area of \u200b\u200babout 4 km, the area of \u200b\u200bLoughcrew is literally strewn with ancient monuments. On top of each peak is a Cairns Group closed chamber and, originally, there were probably about 40 monuments in total.

This site was probably dedicated to the goddess, which became, in Christian times, a witch named Garavogue. A legend narra di come i cumuli di pietre presenti sul territorio, siano caduti dal grembiule della strega quando questa saltò un bel giorno in vetta alla collina.

Le colline principali sono: Cairnbane a ovest, Sliabh na Caillì al centro e Patrickstown a Est. Esisteva anche almeno un cumulo di pietre su una quarta collina, chiamata Sliabh Rua o Carrigbrack. Tutti i siti di Loughcrew sono edificati ad una quota approssimativa di 200 m di altezza, e il punto più alto del complesso è la cima del Cairn T, a quota 276 m sul livello del mare.

Sette monumenti rimangono a Sliabh na Caillí, la vetta più alta e centrale. Il Cairn T, la struttura principale è in buone condizioni, con tetto and the burial chamber intact, while others are in various states of degradation, due to the removal of the stones in the past, as a material used by the locals.

On top of Cairbane West there are fifteen monuments, including the Cairn L in fair condition, although it was restored in 1930 with a concrete roof, and the Cairn D, the most impressive, but unfortunately devastated by reckless searches archaeological sites of the 19th Century, sealed today.

The site is in worse condition Patrickstown the eastern hill, the 21 monuments have been heavily looted over the centuries, and of which there are only three structures, including a wonderful stone calendar.

Let's look at the most important structures of Sliabh na Caille:

The Cairn T

Cairn T

From the parking lot, after a short but steep walk to the summit of the hill, where it immediately raises the Cairn T. From the very top of the mound, as already mentioned is the highest peak of Loughcrew, you can enjoy a magnificent view, which some days seems limpinde areas in 18 counties, definitely one of the best vantage points in all of Ireland! The Cairn T is in excellent condition but is not complete, it lacks the key to the inner chamber, acting on a metal grid and the coating of quartz, similar to Newgrange, which was unfortunately removed over the centuries and more restored. A circle of 38 kerbstones defines the mound.

Hag's Chair

On the north side of the mound we can find a large kerbstone two "horns", from the vague shape of a seat. In fact the stone is called the "Seat of the Witch" (the Hag's Chair). According to local folklore, the stone sits normally Garavogue to observe the night sky. The stone seems to be aligned with the North Star. The folk tradition also says that a large plate, carved in a block of quartz, filled with human bones to be buried near the seat of the Witch, but to date has not yet been found. The seat is carved a cross, in addition to the Christian era, as was the custom to do to "consecrate" places of the Old Religion still rooted in the imagination of the people. The remains of six small mounds surrounding the Cairn T.

engravings on the wall of the passage

The Cairn T is closed by a gate, but its interior can be visited by requiring the key to Loughcrew Garden Tea House, on the south side of the hill, leaving a small deposit or a document (driver's license or passport are fine) as collateral. Just entered in the barrow, the visitor is immediately faced with engraved stones entrambi i lati del passaggio. Una delle più belle caratteristiche di Loughcrew è l'abbondanza di antiche incisioni, che possono tranquillamente venire considerate tra le più antiche forme di arte visuale di tutta l’Irlanda. tra la prima scrittura in questo paese. Procedendo verso l’interno incontriamo una pietra di notevoli dimensioni eretta verticalmente a separare il passaggio dalla camera centrale. La camera si presenta con la classica forma a croce, tipica delle tombe a passaggio irlandesi.

Sliabh na Caillí Equinox Stone

Il Cairn T di Loughcrew è, probabilmente, uno degli the oldest buildings still standing in the world, seeing that the dates could make it back about 4000 years before Christ. According to the Classima cross shape, unfold from the central three smaller rooms, oriented to the south, west and north. The main wall to the west of the environment is richly carved with motifs similar to those found at other sites in County Meath (Newgrange and Knowth), called "Sliabh na Caille Equinox Stone", on which are the pits that are to appear indicate the progressive shift of the point where the light fell during the equinoxes.

Cairn U

Camera centrale CairnU



Cairn U



Il Cairn U è il primo monumento che si para davanti al visitatore appena oltrepassa il cancelletto che delimita il sito sulla cima della collina. Misura circa 13 metri di diametro, con un anello di 16 kerbstones, la maggior parte delle quali sono ancora in piedi. Le pietre del tumulo sopravvissute si trovano a livello degli ortostrati, che è di circa 1,5 metri di altezza. Il passaggio e la camera, o quel che ne rimane, measured nearly 7 feet long, surrounded by 13 engraved stones, including two more panels. The time has unfortunately disappeared.

The room is as usual cruciform, with a termination right greater than left. The latter is separated from the rest of the room by a stone, and it is conceivable that the environment was left with such a "divider." To enter what's left of the passage must cross a high ledge of rock, similarmete to that of Cairn T. This mound appears to have been oriented to receive light at dawn on November 1 (Samhain) and Candlemas day (early February)