The Mound of Hostages

Nearest town:
Dunshaughlin (9km ESE)
OS reference:
N919596
OS sheet:
42
Latitude:
53° 34' 41.57 N
Longitude:
6° 36' 44.57 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by ryaner

Zoomed in a bit through the gate. Impressive pice of carving all the same.

Image credit: ryaner
ryaner
ryaner Jan 3, 2025
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by GLADMAN

Taken from an ‘Office of Public Works’ pamphlet available to visitors some 20 years ago now. Clearly, no copyright infringement is intended. My own annotated notes may well be utter bollocks since the pamphlet text states ‘The Sloping Trenches’ and Rath Grainne are “..recognised by archaeologists as barrows”. So, Iron Age?

Image credit: after O'Riordain 1965
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Apr 15, 2023
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by thelonious

31/03/2023 – The Mound of Hostages. Looking down the passage. Nice rock art on stone to the left.

thelonious
thelonious Apr 15, 2023
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by ryaner

Passage grave, Tara, 17 days past winter solstice.

Image credit: ryaner
ryaner
ryaner Jan 10, 2022
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by ryaner

In a biting wind at the Mound of the Hostages.

Image credit: ryaner
ryaner
ryaner Feb 9, 2021
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by Meic

7th January 2012. The fence does spoil it !

Image credit: Michael Mitchell
Meic
Meic Feb 4, 2012
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by CianMcLiam

The Mound of Hostages by the full moon, the plough is visible in the night sky above. 3mins @ f8.

Image credit: Ken Williams/ShadowsandStone.com 2006
CianMcLiam
CianMcLiam Sep 7, 2006
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by Vicster

Looking into the passage through the metal gate. It looks neglected and uncared for.

Vicster
Vicster Aug 17, 2006
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by ryaner

The back of the tomb with nesting swallow (I disturbed her with the flash but she soon settled back down :-).

Image credit: ryaner
ryaner
ryaner Jun 24, 2006
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by CianMcLiam

Sunlight hitting the back stone of the chamber on the 15/2/06 a few minutes past 8am, still an impressive sight nearly two weeks after the date of alignment.

Image credit: Ken Williams/ShadowsandStone.com
CianMcLiam
CianMcLiam Feb 15, 2006
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by CianMcLiam

The interior of the mound, the floor of the passage was of course strewn with ‘offerings’ and rubbish, removed what I could reach. Carvings are on the large stone on the left of the passage.

Image credit: Ken Williams/ShadowsandStone.com
CianMcLiam
CianMcLiam Feb 12, 2006
Image of The Mound of Hostages (Passage Grave) by Cursuswalker

The path to Cormac’s House (with tourists), passing the Mound of the Hostages (right). The King’s Seat also visible (left)

August 2003

Image credit: Cursuswalker
Cursuswalker
Cursuswalker Oct 14, 2003

Articles

The Mound of Hostages

thelonious
thelonious Apr 15, 2023

31/03/2023 – Hill of Tara. First stop of a busy day of stones. This ancient site is good. Quiet today and nice views even on a grey day. I didn’t read much about the place beforehand so didn’t know about the Mound of the Hostages passage tomb with its fine rock art until we got there. Really nice surprise. It’s a good one. You can’t go inside but the view down the stone lined passage is nice. There’s a lovely big stone on the left with some nice rock art. Swirls and circles from what I could see. The Hill of Tara has a lot going on. Grassed over earthworks with a standing stone at the top, the Lia Fáil (Stone of Destiny). Probably should have read up more before my visit, though there are good information boards at the entrance. It’s an important site.

The Mound of Hostages

C
CARL Jun 9, 2011

Visited 23.5.11
After looking at the Churchyard Stones this was my next stop.
I literally staggered to the Passage Grave, battling against the near gale force wind.
The views are tremendous (at least they would be if my eyes weren’t watering so much in the wind). You can see for miles and miles in all directions.
I quickly cooped down at the entrance to the grave (shelter!) and let my eyes adjust to the darkness. I was soon able to peer through the locked metal grill and easily spot the decorated stone on the left hand side of the passage.
What a great site!
Pity about the rubbish strewn inside the passage. What is wrong with (some) people?

The Mound of Hostages

Vicster
Vicster Aug 17, 2006

We walked around the whole site, trying to get our bearings and were just amazed by the evidence of 5000 years of habitation, before heading towards the Mound of Hostages (another great name!)

Sadly, after having such excellent access at Loughcrew, the metal gate at the entrance of the tomb was a real downer. I managed to take some photos through the bars but the site felt unloved and neglected, which is strange as there were quite a few people around. Rubbish was strewn on the floor of the passage and it made me feel sad that such a site should be treated like this.

The carvings on the stone in the passage were clearly defined, even from the “outside” and I would’ve loved to have been able to see them closer.

Topics

Finds on display 1
FourWinds
FourWinds
Nov 2007
Map ? 4
tiompan
tiompan
Jun 2007

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