Megalithic tomb - portal tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

On the crest of a N-S ridge, with land sloping gently away to the E and W down to the river plains, in tillage. There are very good views in all directions. Formerly in the demesne of Borrismore House, it is described by Carrigan (1905, vol. 2, 366) as, 'a cromlech in Mr. De Courcy's land in Borrismore'. A large roofstone-like stone (L 2.9m; Wth 2.2m; T 1.1m thick, partly rests on two inclined blocks. The E stone (dims. 2.2m x 1m; T 1m) leans to the S. The W stone (L 1.4m; T 0.6m) leans to the W. If erect it would be 1.7m high. A tree grows at the N foot of the monument. Two smaller slabs lie beside it and field clearance has been dumped in this area. The precise nature of this monument is uncertain. While the whole does not appear to be natural, the stones are very rough and uneven. This may have been a folly erected as part of the landscaping of the former demense and cannot be classified conclusively as a portal tomb. (Tighe 1802, 625; Lewis 1837, vol. 2, 671; Borlase 1897, vol. 2, 410-11).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly and Paul Walsh

Date of revised upload: 12 May 2021

References

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.

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

Lewis, S. 1837 A topographical dictionary of Ireland, 2 vols. London. Lewis and Co.

Tighe, W. 1802 Statistical observations relative to the County of Kilkenny. Dublin. The Dublin Society.