Megalithic tomb - passage tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

On the summit of Mount Garret hill (349m), at the centre of a hillfort (KK008-124001-). It consists of a ruined cairn (diam. c. 25m; H 1-2m). Six kerb-stones are exposed along the W side. The monument was investigated by Graves in 1851 and was found to contain a central chamber (L c. 2m; Wth 1.35m; D 1m) (Graves 1849-51, vol. 1, 289-92). Its E side was formed of four 'immense stones, averaging six feet long [1.83m], and from two feet six to three feet wide [0.76-0.91m], piled one on the other'. The W side was of similar construction and was formed of five slabs. The S end was closed by a large slab set on edge. The N extremity was built up with smaller stones 'without any order or regularity'. It appears to have been roofed by two flags 'each about five feet long [1.52m], and between three and four feet wide [0.9m-1.22m]' which were displaced and lay in the chamber. The fill of the chamber contained two adult human skeletons, apparently extended; their heads lay to the S. Some 2m S of this chamber and on a much higher level in the cairn was a small cist. In it were found cremated bone and sherds of pottery with 'indented herring-bone or zig-zag pattern', probably from an urn or food vessel (ibid.). Both the cist and S end stone of the central chamber are still visible. Ryan (1981, 144) has suggested that this monument may be a probable Linkardstown-type burial. The occurrence of a central megalithic chamber in a kerbed, round cairn together with the hilltop siting of the monument, however, could indicate links with the passage-tomb tradition.

Compiled by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 23 January 2018

References

Ryan, M. 1981 Poulawack, Co. Clare: the affinities of the central burial structure. In D. Ó Corráin (ed.), Irish antiquity: essays and studies presented to M.J. O'Kelly, 134-46. Cork. Tower Books.

Graves, Rev. J. 1849-51 Observations of the excavation of a carn at Cloghmanty Hill. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 1, 289-94.