The Court Cairn in Clerhanmore
In Clerhanmore there is
the remains of an ancient
burial site, a court cairn. It
was used as a tomb by Stone
Age people to bury their
dead. It was built between
3000 BC and 1800 BC and is
the earliest evidence of
people living in our area.
This is a photo of the remains of a court cairn in
Sligo. The one in Ballinaglera has only a few stones
left.
A court cairn was a
tomb that had a long passage
with people buried in little
rooms off the passage. The
entrance is a small courtyard
where archaeologists believe
Stone Age people may have
held ceremonies before
burying their dead.
The plan of a court cairn
Only some of the stones from the cairn in Clerhanmore are left but
these are enough to show the original outline of the tomb.