Brehon's Chair facts for kids
Brehon's Chair, sometimes called Druid's Chair, is a very old stone monument. It is a national monument located in Whitechurch, near Rathfarnham in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Ireland. This ancient site is a special part of Ireland's history.
What's in a Name?
The name Brehon's Chair comes from an old idea. People in Victorian times thought it was a judge's seat. A "Brehon" was an Irish judge (from the Irish word breitheamh). These judges used to apply "Brehon Laws." These laws guided daily life and politics in Ireland for a long time. They were used until the Norman invasion in 1171. Some places even used them much later.
These laws were written down between 600 and 900 AD. They probably came from even older Irish traditions. The name Druid's Chair suggests a link to ancient Celtic priests called Druids. However, these names are not historically correct. The monument is much older than judges or Druids. It was built in prehistoric times, between 500 and 2500 BCE.
Where is it Located?
Brehon's Chair is in an area called Taylorsgrange. It is sometimes known as the Taylor's Grange Dolmen. You can find it on a green space inside a private housing area. This area is on a hillside off Kellystown Road. It's in southern Rathfarnham and looks over Dublin's M50 motorway.
Close by is College Road. To the south is Danesmoate House. This house and its land are owned by Adam Clayton from the band U2. A small river called the Little Dargle River flows past the site. This river eventually joins the River Dodder.
What is it and How Old is it?
The monument is made of three large granite stones. They are now shaped a bit like a chair. When archaeologists dug around the monument, they found old flint tools. This shows that people used this area a very long time ago.
Even though it looks like a chair, it's not one. It's actually what's left of a passage tomb. A passage tomb is a type of ancient burial chamber. It's like a smaller version of famous sites such as Newgrange. Newgrange is one of the Boyne Valley monuments. There are also similar sites in the Dublin Mountains, like at Mount Venus.
The two side stones are about 2.35 meters (7.7 feet) and 2.7 meters (8.9 feet) high. They formed an entrance, like a doorway. The third stone at the back was the "door" stone. Originally, there was likely a large mound of stones, called a cairn, built around these big stones. When it was first built, this tomb might have been a very important place. It could have been used for spiritual ceremonies or even for watching the stars.
The monument was once part of the lands of Glynsouthwell. This area is now known as Danesmoate House.
