Grave of the Kings — Kildaree

Located on a prominent rise in rolling average pasture. Nephin dominates the horizon to S. This possible burial mound is named ‘Grave of Kings’ on the 1838 and 1922 OS 6-inch maps. It is mentioned by John O’Donovan in the 1838 OS Letters as follows: ‘In the townland of Kildaree (Cill Dá Rig, church of the two kings) in the south east of this parish, there is a grave in which two kings…are said to be interred.’ (O’Flanagan 1927, 98). It consists of a low mound or cairn (8m N–S; 4.8m E–W; H 1m at E, 0.5m at W) of jumbled stones. The upper layer of loose stones is most likely the result of field clearance. Three large rounded boulders protrude from the mound, one at the N edge, one roughly in the centre, and the largest at the SW edge. The mound is partly sod-covered, and largely obscured by clumps of brambles and blackthorn. A remnant of a N–S field fence lies 2m to W. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 25 July 2019