5,000 years of pagans to wedding proposals – and now this tomb's closed

For thousands of years people have scaled Slieve Gullion on the winter solstice to watch light from the setting sun flood into the chamber of what's known as Calliagh Berra's House - but not this year.

In July, the Department for Communities (DfC) blocked off the entrance to the prehistoric passage tomb in County Armagh, citing safety reasons and the need for repairs.

The closure came as a surprise for local tour guide Des Murphy, who said he regularly takes international visitors to the summit of Slieve Gullion – including one on a personal pilgrimage.

"In July I had four couples from Colorado here," he said.

"One was a man whose family left Camlough more than 100 years ago. He decided to bring his friends here. He wanted to propose to his girlfriend in the passage tomb.

"But when I arrived here in July with the four couples the place was closed – and it's still closed."

DfC said it hopes to restore access as soon as possible, but guides like Mr Murphy are concerned that the lack of a timeline could lead to a lengthy closure and impact the local tourism industry.

For many, the summit is more than a hike with a great view, it's the location of an annual celebration known as the winter solstice which signals the sun's "rebirth" as daylight hours gradually begin to lengthen.

Each year on the winter solstice, people make the journey to the Cailleach Beara's House, the highest surviving passage tomb in Northern Ireland,

To the passing eye it might look like a massive pile of rocks but on the winter solstice, a small entrance on the south-west side indicates something much more remarkable when the rising sun aligns perfectly and a beam of sunlight illuminates the tomb's chamber for a few minutes.

The site at Slieve Gullion is estimated to be about 5,000 years old.

Each year dozens of people gather to witness the sight, but this year they will have to watch from outside the tomb.

Technically speaking, the solstice is a specific moment, not a whole day, and in 2025 it happens at 15:03 GMT on 21 December.

In recent years this part of south Armagh has become increasingly popular with tourists and walkers, with many visiting the adjacent Killeavy Castle Hotel and Slieve Gullion Forest Park before making their way upwards to the summit.

New trails were also built on the mountain to improve access and protect the landscape.

As a result the mountain is increasingly popular with hill walkers like Mary McGowan and her husband James.

As they sat on the exterior of the passage tomb enjoying the view and a well-earned hot drink, Mary said they visit "quite often".

"The children always loved climbing up here. It's a rite of passage.

"If you think how clever our ancestors were to create something like this, that works on a day like the solstice. Who of us would be able to work that out?

"I do think a bit of patience is needed. It has been here this long and it has to be preserved so that it will be here for another thousand years. And I'd rather they took time and did it right."

Sinn Féin MLA Aoife Finnegan said it was "not good enough" that it has been closed for months without a plan in place for reopening.

"Maintenance must take priority and people's safety to enter the enter the cairn is absolutely paramount, but that must go hand in hand with investment and planning and communication," she told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"No-one disputes the fact that safety matters, but I think that the locals certainly need clarity."

In a statement, a spokesperson for the DfC said it is "working hard to restore access as soon as possible" and that the issue relates to steel beams that were put into the chamber in the 1960s but have become corroded and now need replaced.

DfC said a project has been initiated to replace the 1960s roof covering that will be "a logistically challenging project to deliver given the mountain-top location and access restrictions".

Despite the closure of the tomb, a group of people are expected to climb the mountain from 14:30 (GMT) on Sunday to watch the solstice from outside the entrance.