Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

Near the top of a S-facing slope in rough pasture, with wide views to the S and W. Indicated on Robinson’s map (1977). Described by de Valera and Ó Nualláin (1961, 24) as a S-facing wedge tomb (L c. 2.5m; Wth at rear 1.65m; Wth at front 1.75m) embedded in the centre of a broken and uneven mound (11m N–S; c. 10m E–W; H 0.6m). A modern N–S drystone field wall extended along the E side of the mound. The tomb was constructed from very coarse limestone slabs. The E and W sides each comprised a single upright limestone slab set on its long edge. The E sidestone (L 2.8m; max. H at N 1.2m; T c. 0.3m) leaned to the W, and its top edge was flaked and uneven. The W sidestone (L 2.85m; H at S 1.2m; H at N 1.05m; T 0.2–0.5m) had a thin and concave top edge. Continuing the line of the W sidestone to the N, there was another block (L 1.4m; H 0.4m; T 0.2m) which may not have been in situ. The S end of the chamber appeared to be partly disturbed, with a stone (L 1.7m; H 0.35m; T 0.2m) set upright on its long edge, extending from the E sidestone to perhaps beyond the W sidestone. Parallel to and S of this stone there were two upright slabs, ‘possibly displaced doorstones’ (ibid.). The more northerly of these (L 1.3m; H 0.8m; T 0.15m) leaned to the N. The second one (L 1.9m; H 0.9m; T c. 0.15m) leaned to the S and was ‘well set’ (ibid.). Within the chamber there were two slabs, both oriented E–W across the width of the tomb: the N stone (L 1.4m; Wth c. 0.6m) lay flat, while the S stone (L 1.05m; H c. 0.25m; T c. 0.3m) was firmly set upright on its long edge but was considered by de Valera and Ó Nualláin (ibid.) not to be in situ. An inspection of the tomb in 1998 found it unaltered in the interim (SMR file). Another wedge tomb (CL009-048001-) lies c. 350m to the S.

See linked document with details from Ruaidhrí de Valera and Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume I. County Clare. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1961)

Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 24 January 2022

References

Robinson, T. 1977 (revised 1999) The Burren: a two-inch map of the uplands of north-west Clare. Map scale 1:31680. Roundstone: Folding Landscapes.

de Valera, R. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1961 Survey of the megalithic tombs of Ireland, vol. 1: County Clare. Dublin. Stationery Office.