Preserving our history: Restoration of Tibradden Cairn

SOUTH Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council  have joined forces on the restoration of Tibradden Cairn, reports Lauren Castleman.

Tibradden Cairn is a mound of stone comprising a prehistoric cairn, which marks the summit of the Tibradden Mountain, which is around 470 meters high. First excavated in 1849, the cairn was found to contain a central cist (stone-lined grave).

The cist contained a Bronze Age, pottery-made food vessel and human remains, all within a circular chamber with a diameter of approximately three metres.

The design of the cist points to the cairn dating back to the Bronze Age, although antiquarians acknowledge the possibility that the cairn was originally constructed in the Neolithic Age before being reused in the Bronze Age.

The tomb’s present shape comes from reconstruction work completed in the 1950s following the nineteenth century excavations.

This new work and collaboration between the two county councils are part of the Dublin Mountain Community Archaeology Project, which aims to increase awareness of the region’s rich archaeological heritage among visitors and locals alike.

The project also aims to preserve and protect the historical sites so that future generations can continue to appreciate and learn from them.