- Redmountain, Co. Meath, Meath

In May 1935 a long cist containing an inhumation was discovered during the building of a new water reservoir at Redmountain, near Slane, Co. Meath.²⁸ The cist was discovered at a depth of 0.9m below ground level by workers for Drogheda Corporation. A local man, Mr James Tallon, heard of the find some days after its discovery and visited the site. Unfortunately, the cist had been largely destroyed before his visit and for this reason was not investigated by the NMI. This report is based on Mr Tallon’s account of the site. It was situated on a ridge, running roughly parallel to the River Boyne at an altitude of c. 90–120m above sea level, and lay just on the highest point of the ridge, facing the passage tomb at Dowth on the opposite side of the river. The grave was apparently rectangular in plan, with its long axis aligned east/west. It measured 0.61m wide by 0.36m deep but its length could not be ascertained as one end had been destroyed when it was discovered. According to Tallon, the cist was formed of slabs of slate stone of a very light and poor type placed on edge to enclose the skeleton. It is not clear whether the cist was covered by capstones but these may have been destroyed when it was discovered. The grave contained an extended inhumation aligned west/east. The skull had been damaged and removed by the workers, and most of the other bones had also been badly broken. The bones were not recovered from the site. No accompanying artefacts were found. It is unfortunate that a burial in such a prominent location facing the passage tomb at Newgrange across the Boyne was not properly investigated. The site may have been a late Iron Age or early historic period long cist deliberately located because of its view across the river, in the same way that the site at Rossnaree was carefully sited to maximise the view of the tombs at Newgrange and Knowth (this volume, pp 113–20). Stout and Stout (2008, 49) have described how the sun rises on the shortest day of the year over Redmountain at a height of over 100m above sea level.

28. Parish of Duleek, barony of Duleek Lower. SMR ME027-001——, exact location not marked.