Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

On a gentle NW-facing slope in semi-karst rough pastureland and within an extensive field system (CL010-064001-). Described by de Valera and Ó Nualláin (1961, 48) as a very poorly preserved, SW-NE orientated wedge tomb (est. L min. 2.95m; Wth at W c. 1.2m, narrowing to est. 0.95m) embedded in a mound of which semicircular traces (c. 4m N-S; c. 2.7m E-W) were still present around the W side. The surviving fragments of the tomb chamber included the S sidestone which was still in its original position, as well as two flat-lying slabs. The S sidestone (L 2.95m; H 1.15m at W, sloping to 0.9m at E; T 0.25m) leaned heavily to the N, but retained its straight top edge which was dressed along the inside. To the S of its W end was a small, similarly E-W orientated stone (L 0.65m; T 0.1m) set on edge but embedded in the ground so that its top was flush with the ground surface. De Valera and Ó Nualláin (ibid.) suggested that this may be a packing-stone or part of an outer-walling. Two larger flat-lying slabs (one on the other) were found to the N of the sidestone. Like Westropp (1905, 216), de Valera and Ó Nualláin (1961, 48) concluded that the upper slab (L 2.9m; Wth 1.9m; T 0.25m) was the fallen capstone, while the prostrate slab under it (L 3.25m; Wth 1.4m at W, narrowing to 1.1m at E) was suggested to be the N sidestone, with its N side having been the slab’s top edge when erect. The position of this fallen N sidestone suggested to de Valera and Ó Nualláin (ibid.) that the tomb was broader at the W. An inspection of the tomb in 1998 found it unaltered in the interim, although the small packing-stone/ outer wall stone was not noted. There are a large number of wedge tombs and other prehistoric remains in the vicinity (see Jones 2008), with several wedge tombs very close by: one (CL017-015005-) c. 73m to the S; another (CL017-015004-) c. 130m to the SW; and another (CL017-015006-) c. 154m to the WSW. There is also a megalithic structure (CL017-015001-) c. 122m to the S, and a cairn (CL017-015003-) c. 170m to the SSW.

The following item has been uploaded:
CL010-092----_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: 24 May 2023

References

Jones, C. 2008 Roughan Hill prehistoric landscape. In Comber, M. and Jones, C. (compilers) Burren landscape and settlement. An Irish National Strategic Archaeolgical Research (INSTAR) project. The Heritage Council.

Westropp, T. J. 1905 Prehistoric remains (Forts and Dolmens) along the borders of Burren, in the county of Clare. Part 1 – The Eastern Border. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 35, 205-29.

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