Cist, Derrylahan, Co. Cork

Co. Cork |

Burial Sites

Cist, Derrylahan, Co. Cork

In a flat pasture on the shoulder of a gentle slope in north Cork, a subcircular mound sits quietly in the landscape, its edges defined by low upright slabs that still hold their rough circuit after several thousand years.

What makes this site quietly arresting is not its scale but its legibility: the kerb-like stones that delimit the mound, the displaced roofstone tilted against a surviving sidestone, and an inner arc of smaller stones in the northern quadrant all remain visible, giving the impression of a burial monument that has been disturbed but not entirely erased.

The central feature is a cist, a type of prehistoric stone-lined grave box, typically associated with Bronze Age burial practice in Ireland. A cist was usually formed from flat slabs set on edge to create a small rectangular chamber, then capped with a single covering stone. Here, the roofstone, measuring roughly 1.6 metres by 1.4 metres, has been displaced and now rests against the edge of one of the surviving sidestones rather than lying flat above it. The surrounding mound measures approximately 8.5 metres north to south and 9 metres east to west, delimited by the low kerb-stones reaching up to 0.65 metres in height. Inside the western perimeter the cist remains are most legible, while an arc of stones set roughly parallel to the kerb, and positioned 1.6 to 2 metres inside it within the northern and north-eastern quadrant, hints at additional structural complexity. The southern portion of the site appears to have been dug out at some point, suggesting earlier investigation or disturbance, though no further detail is recorded.

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 Cist, Derrylahan, Co. Cork. 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