Loughcrew

Loughcrew is a Neolithic passage tomb complex on a ridge in County Meath, Ireland, comprising a series of cairns and burial chambers with carved stones. It is an important prehistoric monument group in Ireland’s Boyne Valley region.

Visitors come to view the decorated megalithic stones, enter some of the accessible passage tomb chambers and enjoy the ridge-top views. Several tombs produce notable seasonal light effects where sunlight penetrates passages on key solar dates.

The monuments were constructed in the Neolithic period and have been the subject of archaeological study and conservation. The site has been visited and recorded since antiquarian times and is managed as a heritage site with paths and interpretation.

Loughcrew sits near the village and townland areas north of the River Boyne corridor in County Meath, reachable from nearby towns such as Oldcastle.

• Date and orientation: The tombs date to the Neolithic and contain megalithic art; the highest cairns sit on a ridge that also provides panoramic views across the surrounding lowlands.

What to See #

• Passage tombs and cairns: A cluster of Neolithic passage tombs and cairns set along a ridge, several of which contain carved stones and inner chambers aligned with seasonal sunlight at certain times of year.