There are over a dozen tombs at Carrowkeel. Though not all are easy to find or access, the most popular to visit are Cairns G, H and K; you can follow the narrow path from the car park straight their doors.

Two of the three are open, and with a little bit of effort you can actually climb inside these ancient tombs; taking care not to disturb their well preserved condition. As always, you should leave no trace of your visit so that they can be enjoyed and studied for years to come. 

Cairns G, K and H

Cairn G is the first cairn you’ll come upon, and it is probably the most famous. It is in wonderful condition and has been open since the McAllister excavations in the early 1900s. Duck behind the front megalith to access the short passage to the chamber beyond, where 5-6 could comfortably fit.

Next is Cairn H, which has a dimple in the roof as a result of the tunnels partial collapse during a botched excavation involving dynamite, making it inaccessible.

Cairn K is the highest of the three and can be accessed, though the tunnel is slightly longer and lower. Inside the chamber, you’ll see an example of a beautiful corbelled roof.

Cairns E & F

Next you’ll meet Cairn E and Cairn F, which are said to have once been at the centre of the complex. Cairn E is now closed, again due to botched excavations. However, parts of the cairn are exposed, so it is still an interesting one to check out. Cairn F is open and as the largest and highest cairn on this ridge it is surely worth a visit. In fact, Cairn F is so large that it once contained a standing standing stone inside. 

Cairns C & D

A little trail veering off the main path will lead you to two little cairns – C and D. These are smaller and in a very exposed condition, giving you an idea of what a passage tomb looked like before a roof was added.

Cairn C is the only structure to still have a nickname, known locally as the “Leprechauns House”.

Cairns O & P and Hut Sites

Evidence of a settlement can be seen on the next ridge with the hut circles clearly visible in the evening sunlight.  There are also two more cairns – O and P – on this ridge also, but are much more difficult to reach. 

Take a look at the photo, you can just make out the small bump that is Cairn O. This would have overlooked the hut-sites underneath the hill at one time. Cairn P is further down the ridge on an outcrop as is in poor condition.

Cairn B

From the small car park at Carrowkeel, there is a cairn perched on a clifftop above your head to the left. As it’s hard to reach and lesser visited, faint traces of ancient carvings remain visible on the single chamber inside. 

To access follow the ridge from the main road, turning left after leaving Carrowkeel. Follow the stone wall up the hill until you reach the rough path leading to the cairn. Here, you will enjoy a pretty exceptional view of the Carrowkeel complex.

Keash Mountain

Labby Rock

Heapstown Cairn

Nearby, you will find the massive Heapstown Cairn – one of the largest in Ireland – and the nearby Labby Rock dolmen, as well as Keash Mountain, which is home to the highest cairn in Sligo and a row of caves embedded in its rock face. 

Keash Mountain

Feeling adventurous? Visit the highest cairn in Sligo and explore its deep caves all while taking in stunning views of Carrowkeel and Knocknarea. This walk will require good boots and some map reading skillsas there’s no defined path like Knocknarea.

Bones dated to Neolithic and medieval times as well as a Viking comb, Christain objects and more have been found at this site. 

Deerpark

Found on top of a small clearing on a hill in Deerpark Forest, just north of Lough Gill, is a tomb. This walk is ideal for anyone travelling with children who might like the chance to visit an ancient site without a strenuous climb. 

The Hag of Beara’s House 

Along a beautiful stretch of the 80km Sligo Way, are the ruins of a Neolithic Cairn, known locally as the Hag of Beara’s House. In Irish Mythology the Hag of Beara is known as the Goddess of Winter.

The Sligo Way meanders through the Ox Mountains of Sligo where you will have to go off the trail to reach the cairn. Although hard to reach, the views are certainly worth it.