Is it worth booking Carrowmore in advance?

Walk-up entry is usually possible, but booking in advance secures your preferred time slot and avoids queues in peak season (June–August).

How much does it cost to visit Carrowmore?

Standard adult admission is €5. Guided experiences start from €5 per person.

How long does a visit to Carrowmore take?

Allow 1.5–2 hours for a comfortable visit. Arriving early in the morning or late afternoon helps avoid the busiest periods in summer.

When is Carrowmore open?

Daily 10:00–18:00 (Apr–Oct); call ahead off-season

How do I get to Carrowmore?

The nearest major airport is Knock (NOC), approximately 50 min by car. Carrowmore is best reached by car — this is a self-drive destination.

Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, Co. Sligo, Ireland

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Heritage

Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery

Co. Sligo · 1.5–2 hours

Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery is the largest concentration of prehistoric monuments in Ireland, with more than 30 passage tombs spread across a broad low-lying plateau south of Sligo town, dominated by the profile of Knocknarea mountain to the west. The site was in use from around 4,300 BC — making its earliest tombs among the oldest megalithic structures in the world, predating Newgrange by over a thousand years.

The monuments are mostly small dolmens — a large capstone on three or more uprights, surrounded by a stone ring — with a central burial chamber. They are clustered in a roughly circular pattern around a larger central passage tomb (Listoghil), which dates from around 3,600 BC and has been partially restored by the OPW. The cemetery was used for over a millennium; later Neolithic communities built over or adjacent to earlier monuments.

Knocknarea (327 m) looms immediately to the west, its summit bearing the massive cairn of Miosgán Médhbh — traditionally the unexcavated tomb of Queen Maeve of Connacht. The two sites together, with Benbulben visible to the north, create the characteristic north Sligo landscape of prehistoric monuments and dramatic sky.

Highlights

30+ passage tombs in an open landscape — the largest megalithic cemetery in Ireland, in use from 4,300 BC
Listoghil — the central passage tomb (3,600 BC), partially restored, at the heart of the cemetery
Knocknarea visible to the west, with its massive unexcavated summit cairn
An open-air site accessible on foot — the tombs are spread across farmland and all clearly signposted
OPW visitor centre with good interpretation of megalithic burial practices and the wider Sligo landscape

Good to know

→The site is 3 km from Sligo town and accessible by bike or a 30-minute walk from the town centre.
→Combine with Knocknarea (a separate 2-hour round walk) for a full day in the megalithic landscape.
→The OPW visitor centre is small — use it as an introduction, then walk the monuments yourself.
→The monuments are low to the ground and easy to miss without context — the audio guide is worth taking.
→Benbulben and Yeats' grave at Drumcliffe are 15 minutes north for a full north Sligo day.

Best Time to Visit

Apr–Oct for OPW guided tours from the visitor centre; evening summer light picks out the passage tomb circles beautifully. The sites appear to be random stones without interpretation — the guided tour is worth the extra time. Quieter than Newgrange with comparable antiquity.

Getting There

NOCKnock

50 min drive

Common questions

What is Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery?

Carrowmore is the largest concentration of prehistoric tombs in Ireland — more than 30 passage tombs spread across a plateau south of Sligo town. The oldest date to around 4,300 BC, predating Newgrange by over a thousand years. Knocknarea mountain with its massive summit cairn (Queen Maeve's Cairn) frames the view to the west.

Is Carrowmore free to visit?

Access to the landscape is free — the tombs are in open farmland and some are visible from the roadside. The Heritage Ireland visitor centre and guided tours cost around €5 for adults. A Heritage Card covers entry. The guided tour is worthwhile for context on the different tomb types and the wider Neolithic landscape.

How far is Carrowmore from Sligo town?

Carrowmore is about 5km southwest of Sligo town — 10 minutes by car. It is easily combined with a visit to Sligo town, Knocknarea (a 30-minute walk from the nearby car park), and Strandhill beach. A car is needed as there is no regular public transport.

How does Carrowmore compare to Newgrange?

Newgrange is a single, spectacular, architecturally imposing monument on a major visitor infrastructure site. Carrowmore is a dispersed landscape of smaller, more intimate tombs spread across ordinary farmland. Newgrange requires a timed bus tour; Carrowmore allows you to walk among the stones freely. Both are UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites (as part of the Brú na Bóinne and Neolithic landscapes respectively). Carrowmore is far less visited and a more contemplative experience.