Seefin Passage Grave on Seefin Mountain
Bordering on Wicklow Mountains National Park, atop a 621-metre summit, lies a wonderful relic over 5,000 years old.
On top of Seefin Mountain, you’ll discover this passage tomb – what the national park describes at its “most dramatic archaeological site”. The tomb’s narrow entryway is demarked by three slabs fixed amidst a large, circular cairn (a mound of burial stones). The 11-metre passageway arrives at a rectangular chamber – those who enter can tap into their ancient imagination and ponder who may have been interred in the five chambers.
According to legend, passage tombs like Seefin grave were not only ‘physical corridors’; they were also passageways to the otherworld where those leaving Earth could meet their Gods. Some also believed that the corridor represented a birth passage, the chamber a mother’s womb, the final destination a rebirth into a new life.The Seefin passage tomb was reserved for the cremated ashes of spiritual and community leaders, and was also a focal point for rituals and special ceremonies. The name ‘Seefin’ originates from the Irish Suí Fínn, which means ‘Fionn’s seat,’ referring to Fionn MacCumhaill; it is said his throne is protected by the mountain. It is told that this legendary royal-warrior and his fellow Fianna would feast there after hunting in the Glenasmole valley below. One has to wonder what Fionn MacCumhaill’s perceptions may have been of the passage tomb constructed on his mountain. Would he have used it to commemorate some of his kinsmen or comrades?
From Kippure Estate, you can easily go back in historical and mythological time and walk to the site of the Seefin passage grave. A mountain trail, beginning right across the road from our property, consists of a gradual ascent, suitable for most hiking abilities, and takes roughly an hour to reach the summit. Along the way, you’ll find yourself immersed in lush woodland, pass by Athdown Brook and experience stunning views of the Coronation Plantation. From Seefin’s summit, you’ll have the perfect vantage point to marvel at the Wicklow Mountain range and Blessington Lakes.
Hill walking to the Seefin passage tomb is just one of the many options you have while enjoying your stay at Kippure Estate. Amidst our 240-acre property a variety of natural landscapes await your sense of discovery. We can also provide you with a self-guided map that includes various 13 leisurely, rural and hamlet trails right in our “County Wicklow” backyard.