As the Deputy is aware, there are a large number of recorded monuments in the country and a significant number may fall within the description of the term "burial mounds". For the purpose of responding to the question therefore, the word "protected" is firstly taken to mean those monuments in the care of the Office of Public Works and protected under National Monuments legislation. The reference to "burial mounds" is interpreted as referring to those National Monuments which are categorised as either Passage Tombs, Wedge Tombs, Portal Tombs, Court Tombs or Megalithic Tombs. Graveyards are not included in the definition.
A total of 63 individual Monuments, some co-located on the same site, are included in the Monuments in State Care list under these various descriptors and this list is in the table.
Visitor facilities are provided at 4 sites in Co. Meath (Newgrange, Dowth, Knowth & Loughcrew) through the Brú na Boinne Visitor Centre and 1 in Co. Sligo (Carrowmore).
The Office of Public Works endeavours, in as far as possible, to facilitate public access to all the National Monuments in its care. However, this may not be possible in all instances at all times for a variety of reasons outside its control including works, Health & Safety concerns, the fact that Monuments or the entry points to them may be located on private lands or because access is either temporarily or permanently curtailed for farming reasons such as animal movements or harvesting.
If the Deputy has a specific site in mind, I would invite him to make contact with my office directly and we will assist him.
The full list of National Monument tomb sites in the care of the OPW is as follows:
NAME
|
DESCRIPTION
|
TOWNLAND
|
COUNTY
|
Browneshill
|
Portal Tomb
|
Kernanstown
|
Carlow
|
Gartnanoul
|
Court Tomb
|
Gartnanoul
|
Cavan
|
Cohaw
|
Court Tomb
|
Cohaw
|
Cavan
|
Poulnabrone
|
Portal Tomb
|
Poulnabrone
|
Clare
|
Slievenaglasha
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Slievenaglasha
|
Clare
|
Tullycommon
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Tullycommon
|
Clare
|
Caheraphuca
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Caheraphuca
|
Clare
|
Ballyhickey
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Ballyhickey
|
Clare
|
Labbacallee
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Labbacallee
|
Cork
|
Island
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Island
|
Cork
|
Altar
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Altar
|
Cork
|
Malin More (Glencolumbkille)
|
Megalithic Tombs
|
Malin More
|
Donegal
|
Kiltiernan
|
Portal Tomb
|
Kiltiernan Domain
|
Dublin
|
Ballyedmonduff
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Ballyedmonduff
|
Dublin
|
Laughanstown
|
Crosses and wedge tomb (Two Celtic crosses, two cairns, the bases of two crosses)
|
Laughanstown
|
Dublin
|
Kilmashogue
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Kilmashogue
|
Dublin
|
Brenanstown
|
Portal Tomb
|
Brenanstown
|
Dublin
|
Killeany
|
Wedge Tomb A dolmen near Cowragh
|
Oghill
|
Galway
|
Carrownlisheen
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Carrownlisheen
|
Galway
|
Doorus
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Doorus Demesne
|
Galway
|
Knockroe
|
Passage Tomb
|
Knockroe
|
Kilkenny
|
Kilmogue (Leac an Scáil)
|
Portal Tomb
|
Kilmogue, Harristown
|
Kilkenny
|
Corracloona
|
Megalithic Tomb
|
Corracloona
|
Leitrim
|
Aghaderrard West
|
Court Tomb
|
Aghaderrard West
|
Leitrim
|
Lough Gur
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Lough Gur
|
Limerick
|
Lough Gur
|
Megalithic Tomb unclassified
|
Ballynagallagh
|
Limerick
|
Duntryleague (Deerpark)
|
Passage Tomb
|
Deerpark
|
Limerick
|
Proleek
|
Portal Tomb & wedge Tomb
|
Proleek
|
Louth
|
Rockmarshall
|
Court Tomb
|
Rockmarshall
|
Louth
|
Townleyhall
|
Passage Tomb
|
Townleyhall
|
Louth
|
Carrowcrom
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Carrowcrom
|
Mayo
|
Carrowcrom
|
Megalithic Tomb
|
Carrowcrom
|
Mayo
|
Carrowcastle
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Carrowcastle
|
Mayo
|
Ballina
|
Portal Tomb
|
Ballina
|
Mayo
|
Rathfranpark
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Rathfranpark
|
Mayo
|
Ardmulchan
|
Passage Tomb
|
Ardmulchan
|
Meath
|
Dowth
|
Passage Tomb
|
Dowth
|
Meath
|
Knowth
|
Passage Tomb Cemetery
|
Knowth
|
Meath
|
Loughcrew
|
Passage Tomb Cemetery
|
Newtown
|
Meath
|
Loughbracken
|
Mound
|
Loughbrackan
|
Meath
|
Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth
|
Passage Tomb
|
Newgrange
|
Meath
|
Fourknocks
|
Passage Tomb
|
Fourknocks
|
Meath
|
Loughcrew
|
Passage Tomb Cemetery & Other Monuments, Cairn & Standing Stone
|
Corstown, Newtown, Patrickstown
|
Meath
|
Cairnbane
|
Court Tomb
|
Tiredigan
|
Monaghan
|
Altore
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Altore
|
Roscommon
|
Knocknarea
|
Passage tombs & Cairns
|
Knocknarea South
|
Sligo
|
Magheraghanrush or Deerpark
|
Court Tomb
|
Magheraghanrush or Deerpark
|
Sligo
|
Carrowreagh
|
Court Tomb
|
Carrowreagh
|
Sligo
|
Carrowmore Passage Tomb Cemetery
|
Stone circle, Ring barrow, Passage tomb, Ringfort, Megalithic structure, Cashel
|
Carrowmore, Graigue, Tobernaveen
|
Sligo
|
Carrowkeel Passage Tomb Cemetery
|
Passage Tomb Cemetery
|
Carricknahorna East, Carrowkeel, Doonaveeragh, Treanscrabbagh, Tully
|
Sligo
|
Carricknagat
|
Megalithic Tombs
|
Carricknagat
|
Sligo
|
Moytirra East
|
Court Tomb
|
Moytirra East
|
Sligo
|
Cabragh
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Cabragh
|
Sligo
|
Creevykeel
|
Court Tomb
|
Creevykeel
|
Sligo
|
Gortnaleck
|
Court Tomb
|
Gortnaleck
|
Sligo
|
Shrough
|
Passage Tomb
|
Shrough
|
Tipperary South
|
Matthewstown
|
Passage Tomb
|
Matthewstown
|
Waterford
|
Ballynageeragh
|
Portal Tomb
|
Ballynageeragh
|
Waterford
|
Gaulstown
|
Portal Tomb
|
Gaulstown
|
Waterford
|
Knockeen
|
Portal Tomb
|
Knockeen
|
Waterford
|
Seefin
|
Passage Tomb
|
Scurlocksleap
|
Wicklow
|
Baltinglass Hill
|
Passage Tomb & Hillfort
|
Pinnacle, Coolinarrig Upper & Tuckmill Hill
|
Wicklow
|
Moylisha
|
Wedge Tomb
|
Moylisha
|
Wicklow
|