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Loughcrew - Cairn D Cairn D is the largest monument at Loughcrew, with a diameter of about 55 meters. Along with Heapstown Cairn and Queen Maeve's Cairn in County Sligo, it is one of the largest unopened chambered cairns in Ireland. During his work at Loughcrew, Conwell made two attempts to locate the entrance. On one session he spent nearly two weeks with a group of labourers digging through the cairn. They dug a great trench through the mound beginning on the south east side where the kerbstones curved inwards, but never found the chamber. "As the cutting proceeded, about midway down among the loose stones, were found portions of skulls, teeth, and other bones of graminivorous animals, probably the ox and deer." He gave up and decided that the monument must be a cenotaph - a view endorsed by George Coffey.
The large quartz pillar west of Cairn D. Jean McMann suggests it may have been quarried nearby, as there are veins of quartzite in the rock of Cairnbane West. However, on the opposite side of the cairn, which Conwell never touched, lies a fallen quartz standing stone. There are traces of quartz on this side of the cairn too. This stone probably marks the entrance to the mound, which could be oriented roughly to the summer solstice sunset. Standing stones mark the entrances to several other large cairns including Newgrange and Knowth. Whatever the case may turn out to be, Cairn D still holds onto its secrets. |
