In 2008, Archaeologist Faith Bailey identified four possible boulder burial stones were identified on a north-facing slope in Kintogher townland, at the far end of the Branley’s Yard Nature Trail. Possibly dating to the middle to late Bronze Age, boulder burials consist of megalithic size stones set on top of three or four smaller supporting stone and three of the four boulder burials found here are of this nature. Two large standing stones were also identified in this area, the largest approximately 2.2m in height, the smaller 1.2m. Such burial sites are rare in this region and little is known about this particular site, which faces Benbulben mountain on land that, prior to land drainage and reclamation, would originally have formed part of the Drumcliffe Estuary shoreline.
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Drumcliffe High Cross
In ancient times, Drumcliffe was referred to as Druim Cliabh na gcros, or Drumcliff of the crosses, due to the number of high crosses found there. While most were probably made of wood, at least some were stone and one of these remains fully intact at Drumcliffe. The standing undecorated shaft of another high cross…
The Round Tower
The stumped remains of an 11th century round tower, rising to a height of only nine metres, stands to the west of Drumcliffe Church, and the High Cross. The only example of a round tower to be found in Sligo, Drumcliffe Round Tower was originally a much taller structure, possibly up to 30 metres in…
Coolbeg Wedge Tomb
The Giant’s Grave Located at the end of a short trail at the rear of Yeats’ Tavern carpark, on privately owned land, are the remains of a large, man-made stone structure, or megalithic monument, approximately 4,000 years old. Coolbeg (Irish: An Chúil Bheag) wedge tomb, a National Monument known locally as the ‘Giants Grave’, consists of…
St. Columba’s (Drumcliffe) Church
Built in 1809, St. Columba’s Church stands on the site of the monastery founded in 575CE reputedly by St. Colmcille (Columba) in atonement for the Battle of the Books which occurred nearby at Cooldrumman (Cúl Dreimhne) in 560CE. Few traces remain of the monastery, which existed until the end of the 16th century, except for…