Megalithic tomb - portal tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

This portal tomb is located on a SW-facing slope in rock-strewn pasture. In recent years there has been considerable land clearance in its immediate environs. Two portal-stones, which are angled forwards to the W, and a blocking stone form the entrance to a long rectangular chamber (L 4.5m; Wth 2.6m; H 1.25m). The capstone is massive (L 6.5m; Wth 5.3m; D 1.55m) thickest at the leading edge and sloping sharply to a ground-fast rear stone at E. The chamber, which opens to the W was briefly excavated by Marcus Ó hEochaidhe, who found a chert arrowhead, three hollow scrapers and an end scraper - all tools diagnostic of the Early Neolithic period (Corlett 2012; Herity 1964, 134-9; O'Neill 1852 42; Ó Nualláin 1983, 82, 96; Turner 1983, 6;).
This monument was subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 47/1936) and was subsequently taken into Guardianship under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (National Monument 343).

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout and Margaret Keane

Uploaded on: 15 January 2017

References

O'Neill, H. 1852 The Rock monuments of the county of Dublin. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 2, 40-46.

Ó Nualláin, S. 1983 Irish portal tombs, topography, siting and distribution. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 113, 75-105.

Herity, M. 1964 The finds from the Irish portal dolmens. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 94, pt. 2, 123-44.

Turner, K. 1983 If you seek monuments: a guide to the antiquities of the barony of Rathdown. Rathmichael Historical Society.

Corlett, C. 2012 The megalithic tombs of south Dublin, Archaeology Ireland Heritage Guide No. 57, Wordwell.