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Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland

Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb

Ballaghaglash, County Clare, Ireland

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915) covering the location of Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb, Ballaghaglash, County Clare, with a pin at the register's coordinates
Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915), covering this location. Courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The pin is ours, placed from the register's coordinates.

The record

Townland
Ballaghaglash
County
Clare
Country
Ireland
First-edition OS map
Not indicated
Latest-edition OS map
Not indicated
Coordinates
53.04287, -8.93642
SMR number
CL011-005----

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1753 map "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

Historical maps covering this location

  • 1753 · Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

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This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗

The National Monuments Service's description

On open, level karst which slopes slightly downwards towards the W. This wedge-shaped tomb (L c. 4m NNE-SSW; Wth c. 2.5m WNW-ESE) is oriented towards the SSW where a large, upright ‘closing’ slab (L 2.1m; H 1.2m) - damaged at its S end – is flanked by a narrower (L 0.6m) but slightly taller slab immediately to its S. The northern side of the tomb chamber is defined by four, non-contiguous, upright slabs (L 0.6-0.75m; H 0.3-0.4m). At their western end, a fifth upright slab (L 0.7; H 0.6m) stands slightly N of their line. The eastern end of the chamber is defined by a ‘backstone’ (L 1.3m; H 0.65m) which leans slightly outwards, towards the E. The southern side of the chamber is poorest preserved and only one sidestone ((L 1m; H 0.6m) is visible, at its western end. Within the chamber’s interior are three large slabs (L 1.1-2.6m; Wth 1.4-1.8m): all slope towards the NW which suggests that they are displaced roof slabs which have slipped into the interior from the southern side of the tomb. A low, grass-covered bank abuts the eastern and northern sides of the tomb.

See attached images:
CL011-005----_01.jpg View of tomb from WSW.
CL011-005----_02.jpg View of tomb from E.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 12 January 2023

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Sites and Monuments Record data: National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Record text is reproduced unchanged. National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland · CC BY 4.0
All Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb in Clare All County Clare records All Ireland Heritage registers Historical markers (US)National Register of Historic Places (US)
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