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Cairn T, at Loughcrew in Ireland, the site of the Prophet Jeremiah’s tomb. Source: © Laurence O’Bryan

Could Ireland’s Cairn T Really Be the Tomb of the Prophet Jeremiah?

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Cairn T is at a junction of the Road of the Chariots in County Meath, in the Boyne Valley, Ireland. Unfortunately, it’s not on Google Maps yet, but nearby Loughcrew House is. Cairn T is nearer to the house and further inland than Tara, the seat of the High Kings of Ireland.

This cairn passage tomb is a little visited archaeological site about a one hour drive from Dublin. The first picture, from a recent trip to the site, shows the approach to Cairn T.

The view from the top of the Cairn towards the Hill of Tara, visible on the horizon.

The view from the top of the Cairn towards the Hill of Tara, visible on the horizon. © LPOBryan

Who Was Jeremiah?

The Prophet Jeremiah, you will remember, was the Jewish prophet who some say escaped the ruins of Jerusalem with the Ark of the Covenant in 587 BC. He was the guy who had warned the Jewish king about the destruction that was to come and was imprisoned for his efforts.

He was only released when the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar took the city and destroyed the First Temple. After leaving Jerusalem, one new account proposes that he sailed to Ireland, after stopping at the Jewish enclave at Alexandria in Egypt, the most likely destination for anyone fleeing the Babylonians.

The movie Raiders of the Lost Ark claimed Jeremiah went south to Tanis after arriving in Egypt. That account is possible, but so too is a sea voyage. Jeremiah’s landing in Ireland is written in stone. For details of the stones at the mouth of the cairn, which provide this evidence see this link.

Jeremiah’s Royal Bloodline

To add to this, the present House of Windsor officially draws its royal bloodline from Jeremiah’s journey. The story goes that Jeremiah brought two daughters of the Jewish king with him. These princesses married into the line of Irish High Kings, who later married into the line of Scottish kings. The current House of Windsor is partly descended from this lineage. This line of descent is how the present Queen Elizabeth II of England claims her royal blood, as a descendant of the House of David.

Yes, officially, she claims her royal blood line from Jeremiah’s journey. See this link for confirmation.

Cairn T and the Hill of the Witch

The hill became known as the Hill of the Witch because, for a period, Ireland was ruled as a matriarchy (women were in charge.) These women were probably the female descendants of the Kings of Israel.

It is written in the Annals of Irish High Kings that women judges, later called witches, could take your life if your crimes were sufficient. That ultimate penalty would be imposed at the time of year we call Halloween.

Cairn T: A cairn, or mound of stones. © LPOBryan

Cairn T: A cairn, or mound of stones. © LPOBryan

And if you wanted a wish granted you could walk around Cairn T three times and then submit a request to the witches. I met a real witch when I was there. She was dressed all in black and was barefoot walking down with a companion when we arrived.

I experienced a powerful feeling of peace and inner contentment when I visited Cairn T. Whether the Ark of the Covenant is buried there or at Tara is hard to know. Neither site has been excavated. When a group of Zionists tried to dig up Tara in 1902 in a search for the Ark, they were stopped by mass protests. More on that here. At that time they based their search on the same story about Jeremiah as I have related above.

I will be going to Cairn T again, probably at Halloween, as the sun sets on the day the season and the year changes. The day the witches are about.

The entrance to Cairn T. © LPOBryan

The entrance to Cairn T. © LPOBryan

The entrance stone on the left is shown in detail in the image below, with the carving of a boat clearly visible on the bottom right. Trade and travel between Ireland and the Phoenicians, who lived in North Africa and traded with Israel, definitely took place. Evidence has been found in kitchen implements and jewelry.

Even if you don’t believe the connections were as strong as some claim, click here for more on that, it’s not unreasonable to believe that after a city state such as Israel fell, that remnants of that state would end up emigrating to what might then have been seen as a stable society, Celtic Ireland.   

The entrance stone, with the carving of a boat clearly visible on the bottom right. © LPOBryan

The entrance stone, with the carving of a boat clearly visible on the bottom right. © LPOBryan

Something Powerful is Going On

Many people believe Cairn T is the site of the Prophet Jeremiah’s tomb. Many also believe there is something powerful going on at the site.

When I entered the tomb. I tried to take a panorama picture with my iPhone, but for some reason the panorama app, despite working outside the cairn, wouldn’t work inside.

A picture I took of the inside of Cairn T. © LPOBryan

A picture I took of the inside of Cairn T. © LPOBryan

The pictogram of the boat on the stone at the entrance is said to show Jeremiah’s arrival in Ireland.

This site has never been excavated. It also has an almost permanent guard; if you’re thinking of coming and looking for the Ark of the Covenant.

What would you wish for if you visited the Hill of the Witch? Would you like to find the Ark of the Covenant?

Top Image: Cairn T, at Loughcrew in Ireland, the site of the Prophet Jeremiah’s tomb. Source: © Laurence O’Bryan

By Laurence O’Bryan

Laurence O’Bryan is the author of a mystery series, translated into 10 languages. It starts with ‘The Istanbul Puzzle.’ See more at LPOBRYAN.com. All images in this article © LPOBryan

 

Comments

Hi there,
I'm just wondering, what are your sources in regards to the period of "matriarchy" - as well as this, it is important to note that Tara was excavated, if only partially, having been stopped in response to mass protests. I am not sure who are those to have "said" that it is the tomb of Jeremiah. And the permanent guard you speak of? Aside from getting the key from Loughcrew gardens, I was under the opinion it was relatively easy to visit the site, often empty of people.

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Laurence

Laurence O’Bryan has been published by Harper Collins in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and by ten other publishers. The Istanbul Puzzle was shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year, 2012, and won the Southern... Read More

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