Megalithic tomb - portal tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

The portal tomb is situated in a low-lying green area on a housing estate at Ballybrack off the Shanganagh-Bray road. This simple portal tomb comprises a large sloping granite roofstone (L 2.2m; Wth 2.05m; T 1.2m) resting on two portal stones and two sidestones (portals H 1.55m and 1.4m respectively). The chamber faces E (L 1.89m; Wth 0.76m). There are no traces of a covering cairn. It is known as the 'Shanganagh Dolmen' (Borlase 1897, 2, 392-3; Ó Nualláin 1983, 82, 96; Turner 1983, 5).
Tomb described in 1852 by Henry O'Neill as follows; 'This is usually called the Shanganagh dolmen. The supporting-stones are four in number, two One of them is broken off in the middle, and the one opposite to it has fallen in. On these the covering-stone rests. It is nearly 7 feet 6 ins. [2.3m] square, by about 3 feet [0.9m] thick. The under side is, as usual, nearly flat. The weight of the stone is probably about 12 tons. The chamber lies E. and W., and measures 6 feet 7 ins. [2m] long by 2 feet 6 ins. [0.76m] wide. It was probably 5 feet [1.5m] high. The floor is of clay, and the material of the dolmen granite' (Borlase 1897, 392-3).

To see a 3D model of this monument visit https://skfb.ly/oJtSp

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout and Padraig Clancy

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 14 July 2023

References

Borlase, W.C. 1897 The Dolmens of Ireland, 3 vols. London. Chapman and Hall.

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

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