Burial ground, Baile An Lochaigh, Co. Kerry

Co. Kerry |

Burial Grounds

Burial ground, Baile An Lochaigh, Co. Kerry

A low circle of quartz stones sitting quietly in the Kerry landscape does not announce itself as a burial place.

Yet that is precisely what this modest cairn at Baile An Lochaigh appears to be, its pale stones arranged within a kerb of larger uprights, and a single low stone rising from within that may once have marked a grave.

The cairn measures between 4.25 and 4.45 metres in diameter, making it a compact but deliberate structure. It sits roughly four metres south of the entrance to a clochán, the Irish term for a dry-stone beehive hut of the kind associated with early Christian monastic and hermit traditions along the Dingle Peninsula. The proximity is unlikely to be accidental. The predominance of quartz in the cairn's construction is a detail worth pausing on; quartz was used in prehistoric and early medieval burial contexts across Ireland, possibly for symbolic or ritual reasons, and its presence here gives the site a character that goes beyond a simple pile of field clearance stone. The solitary upright within the cairn, though low and unassuming, carries the suggestion of intentional placement rather than collapse or chance.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Burial ground, Baile An Lochaigh, Co. Kerry. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement