Seahan Megalithic Tomb, County Dublin

The exposed chamber of one of the tombs, with the larger cairn topped by an Ordnance Survey point in the background

On Saturday (15th March 2014) we visited Seahan, another of the megalithic tombs of the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains. At Seahan [sometimes spelled as Seehan] you can find the remains of two large stone cairns. They probably date to the Neolithic period, around 5,000 years old, a time when people first began to clear the ancient forests to create fields for farming. They are thought to be the remains of passage tombs, a type of burial monument that appears as a round mound of stones or earth, ringed by large stones set on their edges to form a kerb. Parallel lines of upright stones formed a passageway leading to a chamber which usually contained the remains the dead. 

One of the cairns on Seahan has a very clear kerb of stones surrounding it, but it has been disturbed, possibly in antiquity. It is situated adjacent to a larger cairn that has an ordnance survey point added to its summit. Its possible that some of the stones of the exposed tomb were used in the construction of this large cairn. Archaeologist Christiaan Corlett suggests that perhaps this raises some interesting questions about the relationship of the two tombs – perhaps the people constructing the larger cairn deliberately ‘slighted’ the older tomb to construct a new larger cairn. Perhaps as a way of symbolising their ascendancy over the people who are interred within the smaller tomb and their descendants who built it.

The Ordnance Survey point that has been added to the top of the larger cairn on Seahan.

The cairns on top of Seefinghan (left) and Seefin (right) visible from the tombs of Seahan

Seahan appears to be part of an extended series or cemetery of passage tombs that cover a number of peaks in the area. From Seahan you can clearly see the cairns on top of Seefingan and Seefin. Building these tombs so high in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains must have been an incredibly difficult undertaking in the Neolithic period even though there is an abundant supply of stone on top of the hills. The peaks of these hills are all around 650m – 750m above sea level, so why would they have constructed these elaborate and large stone tombs up here? 

Expansive views over Dublin from the summit of Seahan

We can never say with certainty, but perhaps like a lot of cultures around the world, they believed that to be buried in these high places was to be closer to their gods. Personally though, I think that it was a statement of ownership over the landscape. From this high vantage point the whole of South County Dublin and Wicklow is visible. Green fields, rivers, lakes. Perhaps they believed that any newcomers to this fertile territory would see the very visible tombs in the distance and know that the people living here have done so for millennia. Or maybe they believed that by placing their ancestors far above the low lying lands of the living, the shades of their forebears could watch over them from their tombs. For those interested in prehistoric archaeology, or those who love a bit of hillwalking, or those who just want to see some of the finest views in Ireland, Seahan is a real must-see. 

The Famine Cross, take the road to the left of this monument.

I strongly recommend you use OSI Discovery Series Mapping Numbers 50 and 56 to help you find the tomb easily. To get there exit the M50 at Junction 12 Firhouse. Travel on the R113 towards Oldbawn. Take the left turn for the R114 signed for Bohernabreena. Continue straight on this road, staying right at the slight fork at Bohernabreena. Drive past the golf club on your left and take the road to the left of a famine cross you will see on the left hand side of the road. Continue on this road for about 5 minutes. On a clear day you will see Seahan on top of the mountain to your left and Seefin and Seefingan ahead. Seahan is separated from Seefinghan and Seefin by the Army Rifle Range, if you see signs for that you have gone too far. There is a parking area below Seehan in front of large boulders. Park here and walk along the path. Take the first left on this path - this will lead you up to the summit of Seehan. We had great weather for our visit, but I wouldn’t recommend the trip in poor conditions. It was about a 25–30min fairly easy stroll up the Mountain to the site, but good boots are recommended. Above all though, please do be aware of the Army Rifle Range and respect their warning signs! 

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Some Sources and Recommended Reading:

Corlett, C. 2012. The Megalithic Tombs of South Dublin, Archaeology Ireland Heritage Guide No.57. (Wordwell, Ireland)
Cooney, G. 2000. Landscapes of Neolithic Ireland (Routledge, London)
Waddell, J. 2000. The Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland (Wordwell, Ireland)

All photographs and text © Neil Jackman / www.abartaheritage.ie

The stunning landscape of the Dublin Mountains, like a different world and less than 30mins from Dublin!