Eochy's Cairn photographed from it's large surrounding bank.
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Eochy's Cairn This large monument, a somewhat quarried round limestone cairn is located on a low hill about 55 m above sea level, some 4 km north of the Cong stone circles. The cairn is perhaps 45 meters in diameter, with sloping sides and a flat 'platform' top like some of the Sligo cairns. A sizeable quantity of stones were taken from the east side, presumably for the many stone walls in the nearby fields.
Looking at the cairn from behind one of the standing stones. There is a fine view from the top, especially to the Connemara and south Mayo Mountains. The tip of Croagh Parick peeps up over the Partry Mountains, rather like a cairn on a flat hill. Knockma with it's similar sized cairn is no too far off to the south east. The Burren may be visible to the south, but it was too hazy to tell the day I was there. A most interesting feature found at this monument is a large oval enclosure, more intact on the west than the east side. It encircles the cairn with it's long axis running north-south, and probably looks like an eye from the air. There are a few small standing stones set against the inside of the enclosure. The nearby monument, Dathí's Cairn, is also within an enclosure, circular in shape. Eochy's Cairn is reckoned to be the grave of the king of the Firbolg, who was ambushed and killed by three of the Túatha Dé Danann while he was going to Lough Mask for a drink of water. There was also said to be an Eochy's Grave (also known as Cuchullain's Tomb), now submerged beneath the sea in Ballisodare Bay under Knocknarea in County Sligo. Left, Turlough Mountain Cairn in the Burren. |
The large earthen bank which surrounds the cairn (west side).
