Megalithic tomb - portal tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on rock outcrop at the W edge of a N-S ravine (Wth of top c. 100m). A low grass-covered cairn (dims 31.5m N-S; c. 9.5m E-W; max. H 1m) contains a chamber (L 2.4m; Wth 2.2m; H 0.85m) at the S end composed of two portal-stones, two sidestones, a backstone and roofstone. The passage tombs (LE025-093001-; LE025-093002-) and a cairn (LE025-093003-) lie c. 120m to the S. This is perhaps the best known and most visually stunning of the megalithic tombs in County Leitrim, and it has been sketched by artists since the early nineteenth century (Stalley 1991, 150-52). (Borlase 1897, vol. 1, 193-4; de Valera and Ó Nualláin 1972, 73-4)

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Leitrim' compiled by Michael J. Moore (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2003). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 23 September 2008

See linked document with details from Ruaidhrí de Valera and Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume III. Counties Galway, Roscommon, Leitrim, Longford, Westmeath, Laoighis, Offaly, Kildare, Cavan. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1972).

References

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

de Valera, R. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1972 Survey of the megalithic tombs of Ireland, vol. 3, Counties Galway, Roscommon, Leitrim, Longford, Westmeath, Laoighis, Offaly, Kildare, Cavan. Dublin. Stationery Office.

Stalley, R. (ed.) 1991 Daniel Grose (c. 1766–1838). The antiquities of Ireland, a supplement to Francis Grose. Dublin. The Irish Architectural Archive.