Sligo court tombs

Court Tombs

Where Court Tombs were also used to bury the death, they are more rectilinear in design.
Where they have an unroofed court at one end or in the middle of the monument, the court was used to access to one or more roofed burial chambers.
The Court Cairn of Creevykeel is the first court cairn to be excavated in Ireland by students from Harvard University back in 1935

Creevykeel

Creevykeel is one of the finest and best‑preserved full court tombs in Ireland, dating to the Neolithic period (c. 4000–2500 BC). Excavations at the site uncovered a rich collection of artefacts, including flint arrowheads, stone axes, and other tools that shed light on the lives of the early farming communities who built it.
The cairn itself is approximately 50 metres long, with a frontage of about 20 metres. Entry into the monument is through a narrow east‑facing passage, lined with upright stones, which leads into the large open court — one of the biggest of its type in Ireland, measuring roughly 15 metres long by 9 metres wide.
From the court, a doorway leads into the burial gallery, divided into two chambers by upright stones. Originally, this gallery would have been covered by a substantial stone roof.
An intriguing later addition is found within the court: the remains of an Early Christian‑period kiln, built by iron smelters long after the tomb’s original use. This reuse highlights Creevykeel’s long‑lasting significance in the landscape.

Deerpark Court Tomb

Deerpark Court Tomb is a large and imposing monument, widely regarded as one of the finest examples of a central court tomb in Ireland. Built from rough limestone slabs — most standing under one metre high — the tomb displays an impressive and complex layout that reflects its importance during the Neolithic period.
At its heart is an oval‑shaped court, measuring about 15 metres in length. From this court, a pair of twin galleries extend at the eastern end, while a single gallery lies opposite them on the western side. Together, these features give the monument a total length of roughly 30 metres.
An entrance passage leads from the court to the surviving kerb stones on the south side of the tomb. Each of the galleries is divided into two chambers, creating a multi‑chambered burial structure typical of the most elaborate court tombs.
Deerpark’s scale, symmetry, and architectural complexity make it one of Sligo’s most striking prehistoric monuments — a testament to the skill and ceremonial traditions of Ireland’s earliest farming communities.