Burial mound

The National Monuments Service's description

Mound known locally as 'Sideán Na Feine' which according to Westropp (1922, 77) stood on the E edge of a plateau on Cromwell Hill and was described as a 'large, long, shapely, mound like an overturned boat'. Mound described in 1826 as; 'There is a large mound, like an inverted basin, composed of earth and stones, on Cromwell's Hill, in the barony of Small County, which is called Sigheann (Sigheann or Sideán) na Fiona, 'after' the wild warriors of the Fianna Eirionn' (Fitzgerald 1826, 406). Earthwork described in 1919 as a; 'large mound about 100 feet [30m] N. and S, and 88 feet [27m] E. and W., with a slight fosse and 15 feet [4.5m] to 20 feet [6m] high. On its platform rises another boss, making it 30 feet [9m] in all. In 1826 it bore the now forgotten name of "Sigheann na Fiona", the Sideán of the Fiana' (Westropp 1919, 21).

Burial mound described in 1943 as following; 'This monument consists of a small mound of earth which has a stone kerb about its base, outside which there is a fosse. It is situated on the highest point of Cromwell Hill, a little to the east of the megalith [LI033-049----]. The mound is slightly flat on top and this may have occurred at the time of the Ordnance Survey as it was then used as a trigonometrical station by the Surveyors. Only five of the kerb stones remain and some of these have fallen out of position. The fosse is not deep nor wide, but is fairly well defined. The greatest height of the mound over the field level is 4' [1.2m] and its overall diameter is 38' [11.6m]. Locally it is called Suidhe Finn' (O'Kelly 1942-3, 176). The outline of the monument is clearly visible on various OSi aerial photographs.

See attached photograph and plan of mound drawn by Westropp 1918

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 29 March 2021

See attached ASI aerial photograph ASIAP - 133/09 on 23/08/2000. 332/15, 16, 19 on 05/10/2002.

References

ASIAP - Archaeological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1996 - c. 2010).

Westropp, T.J. 1919 The ancient places of assembly in the counties Limerick and Clare. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 49, 1-24.

O'Kelly, M.J. 1942-3 A survey of the antiquities in the barony of Small County, Co. Limerick. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 3, 75-97, 169-84, 222-46.

Fitzgerald, P. 1826-7 The history, topography, and antiquities of the county and city of Limerick. 2 vols. Dublin.

Westropp, T. J. 1922 The "mound of the Fiana" at Cromwell Hill, Co. Limerick, and a note on Temair Luachra. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 36, 68-85.