Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slight rise on a S-facing slope overlooking an E-W valley, in rough pasture within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). Situated at the NW edge and highest point of a cashel interior (CL009-059076-). Indicated and named ‘Cromlech’ on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Described by de Valera and Ó Nualláin (1961, 32; attached) as a large wedge tomb chamber (L c. 4.25m; Wth at W 2m, narrowing to 1.45m at E centre; min. H at W c. 1.5m, dropping to c. 1.15m at E), its W end covered by spill from the cashel wall. There were some traces of a mound surrounding the chamber, which was oriented E-W and comprised a single large sidestone at S, two overlapping sidestones at N, and a broken capstone which had collapsed into the chamber. The S sidestone (L 4.3m; H 1.65m at W, 1m at E; T 0.2-0.3m) had a straight and roughly dressed top edge, sloping W-E. The vertical W edge was also worked. Of the two N sidestones, that at W (L 3m; H 1.35m at W, 1.15m at E; T 0.2m) had a dressed top edge and its E end was broken. The E slab at N (L 1.9m; max. H 1.35m; est. T c. 0.15m) overlapped (L 0.25m) the N side of the W slab. Most of its top edge (L 1m) was dressed. The vertical W end was also worked, and the E end bore chipping marks. Because this slab was oriented more WNW-ESE, de Valera and Ó Nualláin (ibid.) thought it may have been a later addition. The capstone had split roughly down the middle, and was in five pieces (L 1.2-3m; T 0.15-0.2m) within the chamber: two leaning against the N sidestones, and three against the S.

De Valera and Ó Nualláin (ibid.) followed Westropp (1901, 290) in describing a low souterrain which extended W from the W end of the chamber into the cashel wall however, an inspection of the tomb in 1997 found no evidence for a souterrain.

This is an example of a cashel being built adjacent to or over an Early Bronze Age ritual structure. Other examples are known in the Burren including Creevagh (CL010-095002-) (Comber 2008, 106-8) and Caherconnell (CL009-030011-) (Hull and Comber 2008, 123-30), as well as two in Lissylisheen (CL009-001026- and CL009-001013-).

The following item has been uploaded:
CL009-059077-_01.pdf 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: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 5 April 2022

References

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

FitzPatrick, E. 2008 Cahermacnaghten: investigating Gaelic estates. In M. Comber and C. Jones (compilers), Burren landscape and settlement. An Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) Programme, 132-157. The Heritage Council.

Jones, C. and Comber, M. 2008 Conclusion. In M. Comber and C. Jones (compilers), Burren landscape and settlement. An Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) Programme, 158-164. The Heritage Council.

Hull, G. and Comber, M. 2008 Excavations in Caherconnell townland. In M. Comber and C. Jones (compilers), Burren landscape and settlement. An Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) Programme, 132-157. The Heritage Council.

Comber, M. 2008 Ringforts and the settlement landscape of the Burren in the first millennium AD. In M. Comber and C. Jones (compilers), Burren landscape and settlement. An Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) Programme, 89-109. The Heritage Council.

Westropp, T.J 1901 Prehistoric remains in north-western Clare part II. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 31, 273-91.