Céide Fields

Céide Fields is an archaeological site with Neolithic remains of great historical interest. Archaeologists believe it to be the largest Neolithic site in the world. Now open to visitors, it’s well worth the detour!

History of Céide Fields

A late but monumental discovery

It wasn’t until 1935 that Patrick Caulfield, an Irish peat miner, discovered the peculiar presence of stones buried beneath the thick layer of bog. These stones are stacked and arranged in an unnatural way, and presume to have been arranged by a human hand. Interested, Patrick Caulfield decided to talk to his son, Seamus Caulfield.

The latter then innocently withholds this information when he’s just a child. A few years later, he became an archaeologist and in the 1970s began work on the hill. And that’s when he makes the most fantastic discovery of his career: the hill actually contains countless tombs, altars, low walls and other skilfully stored stone arrangements. After a few studies, archaeologists and researchers determined that the site was once inhabited by farmers.

Visit Céide Fields

A hill invaded by peat… and megalithic constructions

Céide Fields is a gigantic hill made up of peat bogs and Neolithic remains. Among them are countless low stone walls, circles, altars and megalithic tombs dating back 5,000 years, representing a veritable cultural and archaeological treasure trove for the world to see.

Situated just outside Ballycastle, on the edge of breathtakingly beautiful cliffs, Céide Fields is a truly exceptional site. You’ll be delighted by its wild setting and the beauty of its ancient remains, a true testimony to past life.

The figures that characterize Céide Fields are quite impressive: during your visit, you’ll learn that the site is made up of almost 500,000 tons of stone, all arranged and structured according to a precise logic, and thus forming a living space where the local population would have lived for quite an extended period in history.

The site, fabulous as it is, was only discovered belatedly. In the early 1930s, the site was regarded as a simple hill surrounded and invaded by peat, a natural organic substance frequently exploited by the Irish. There was no apparent clue to the fantastic legacy left by these Stone Age ancestors.

If you decide to visit Céide Field, a Visitor Center has recently been built. The contemporary-looking Visitor Center is located on the edge of the cliffs, and for €3.80 per person offers a comprehensive exhibition on life in the Stone Age, as well as a guided tour of the remains of Céide Field. For such a setting and such a price, there’s no reason to hesitate!