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Round Cairn at Omagh is a prehistoric stone mound constructed on bedrock composed of Silurian felsic igneous intrusion. The monument sits within the upland landscape of County Tyrone, where these ancient volcanic rocks form the geological foundation. Round cairns of this type were typically built during the Bronze Age as burial monuments, with stones gathered from the surrounding terrain and heaped over inhumed or cremated human remains. The specific geology of this location would have made stone readily available for construction.
The cairn is positioned on naturally rising ground in the Omagh area, which commands views across the surrounding countryside. Such elevated positions were often selected for these monuments, making them visible landmarks within the Bronze Age landscape. The felsic bedrock—composed of lighter, silica-rich igneous minerals—differs from the granite and basalt found in other regions of Northern Ireland, giving this site a distinctive local character.
The monument is protected as a scheduled historical monument under reference 14646 by the Historic Environment Division. The survival of round cairns provides important archaeological evidence of Bronze Age burial practices and settlement patterns. This example contributes to understanding how prehistoric communities used and modified the landscape of Ulster, adapting to the distinctive geology and topography of the Omagh region.
Round cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 14646. View the official record →
Round Cairn at Omagh is a prehistoric stone mound constructed on bedrock composed of Silurian felsic igneous intrusion. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 14646.
Round cairn dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Round cairn is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 14646.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Market cross. wedge tomb (2.2 km), Market cross. court tomb (2.2 km), Oweyanivore, oweyanirvore. court tomb (2.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Round cairn's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Round cairn stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Ordovician To Silurian, bedrock that formed in the Silurian. The rock here is felsic-rock.