Cairnbaine facts for kids

Cairnbaine, also known as Tiredigan Court Tomb, is a very old type of stone monument called a court cairn. It's also a special protected site known as a National Monument in County Monaghan, Ireland. These ancient structures give us clues about people who lived thousands of years ago!

Where is Cairnbaine Located?

Cairnbaine is found in a place called Tiredegan. It's about 2.9 km (1.8 mi) southwest of a small town called Three Mile House. Imagine exploring the countryside and finding a piece of history!

How Old is Cairnbaine?

Court cairns are some of the oldest stone monuments you can find in Ireland. People started building them around 4000 BC (that's about 6,000 years ago!). This means Cairnbaine was built long before the pyramids of Egypt or the Roman Empire. It's like a giant puzzle piece from the Stone Age.

What is a Court Cairn?

A court cairn is a special type of ancient tomb. It's made of large stones and usually has an open area, or "court," at the front. This court leads into a burial chamber, or "gallery." These monuments were likely used for burials and important ceremonies by early farming communities.

What Does Cairnbaine Look Like?

Cairnbaine is a "dual" court tomb, which means it might have had two main sections or entrances. Today, you can see its "gallery," which is the main burial area. One of the big roof stones is still in place, showing how massive these structures were.

At the front of the gallery, there are "court stones" and parts of what was once a "façade." A façade is like the front wall or face of a building. The whole monument, called a "cairn," is shaped like a trapezoid. It measures about 30 m (98 ft) long and 15 m (49 ft) wide. That's pretty big, almost like a small football field!