Behy court tomb

The court tomb of Behy is a megalithic monument in the townland of the same name (Irish: An Bheithigh, meaning 'birch land'), near Belderrig in the north of County Mayo, Ireland.

The monument is located within the Céide Fields complex, 150 meters above sea level on the slope of Maumakeogh hill, and is the most westerly of the thirty or so tombs in the Killala group.

The chamber of the monument, which is buried beneath an envelope of peat, was long known to local turf cutters, and the site was named in folk tradition as the "Roomeens".

[3] The chamber and court of the tomb was excavated in 1963 and 1964, led by Rúaidhrí de Valéra, Michael Herity and Sean Ó Nualláin with a team of students from University College Dublin, which included Seamus Caulfield.

[2] The court tomb of Behy lies within the Céide Fields complex, but the pre-bog walls surrounding the monument do not respect the sanctity cairn, which was presumably considered a sacred space.

This is atypical for a megalithic site and indicates that the pre-bog walls, which are claimed by Seamus Caulfield to date from the neolithic,[3] in fact post-date the monument.

Various forms of court tombs. The form of the court tomb of Behy is pictured on the top left.
The Behy court tomb looking west across Broadhaven Bay. The capstone of the chamber is visible; however, the majority of the monument is buried beneath a layer of peat.
The Behy court tomb looking west across Broadhaven Bay. The capstone of the chamber is visible; however, the majority of the monument is buried beneath a layer of peat.
The chamber of the transeptal court tomb at Behy.
The chamber of the transeptal court tomb at Behy.