Céide Fields

Top choice in County Mayo


An exposed hillside 8km northwest of Ballycastle is home to one of the world's most extensive Stone Age monuments. So far stone-walled fields, houses and megalithic tombs – about half a million tonnes of stone – have been found, the legacy of a farming community nearly 6000 years old. The visitor centre, in a glass pyramid overlooking the site, gives a fascinating glimpse into these times. Be sure to take a guided tour of the site to fully appreciate the findings.

It was only during the 1930s that a local, Patrick Caulfield, was digging in the bog when he noticed a lot of piled-up stones buried beneath it. A full realisation of what lay under the sod didn't happen for another four decades, when his son Seamus began exploration of the area. Excavations are ongoing.