Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

Wedge-tomb that was destroyed around 1895 (Lynch 1909-11, 112) and was known locally as'Tuamanirvore' or 'The Big Man's Grave' (OSNB Abington Parish], described by the Megalithic Survey of Ireland as following; 'This monument was shown as "Tuamanirvore" on the 1840 edition of the O.S. 6" map and "Tuamanirvore (Site of)" on the 1901 edition. It has been completely destroyed. The monument is described in the O.S. Name Book (1840 Abington Parish) as follows: — "This grave, which is placed on a small rising ground in a cultivated field, is 21 feet long, four wide and three high, each side secured by a row of upright large stones from three to four feet, sunk deep in the ground and at each end one of same magnitude. The grave is uncovered but with the seeming appearance of having the large stones upon it some time ago which arc now promiscuously thrown on each side of it, besides a heap of smaller ones now overgrown with grass, moss etc. . . The description in the O.S. Letters is closely similar and seems to be directly derived from that in the Name Book. The descriptions are sufficient evidence to warrant the acceptance of the site as that of a megalithic tomb, very probably of the wedge-tomb class.

The tomb was recorded by Borlase (1897, 46) and described as; 'In the Townland of Cappanahannagh, and Parish of Abington; "near Lissguaire," and on the N.W. of the Slieve
Felim Mountains, is a dolmen marked Tuamanirvore [grave of the big man] in Ord., Surv. Map No. 6. "This dolmen stands on a small eminence in a field. It measures 21 feet [7m] long, 4 feet [1.2m] broad, and 3 feet [0.9m] high. Its sides are described as each defended by large stones, from 3 to 4 feet [0.9-1.2m] high, set upright in a row, and deeply sunk in the ground. Two stones of the same size as those of the sides, and set in the ground in the same way, defend the ends. The grave was uncovered above. It appeared, however, that there had been stones placed over it which rested on and were supported by the end [? side] ones. These stones lay confusedly on each side. There was also a heap of smaller stones overgrown with grass."

See linked document with details from Ruaidhrí de Valera and Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume IV. Counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1982)

Date of upload: 4 January 2012

References

OSL - Ordnance Survey Letters. Letters written by members of the Ordnance Survey's 'Topographical Department' (T. O'Conor, A. O'Curry, E. Curry, J. O'Donovan and P. O'Keeffe) sent to headquarters from the field (1834-41). MSS in Royal Irish Academy.

OSNB - Ordnance Survey Name Books. Pro-forma books arranged by Civil Parish for recording townland and other name-forms and compiled in the course of the OS 6-inch survey 1824-1841. The name books also include minor names and incidental references to antiquities. National Archives of Ireland.

de Valera, R. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1982 Survey of the megalithic tombs of Ireland. Vol. IV, Counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary. Dublin. Stationery Office.

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

Lynch, J. F. 1909-11 Notes on Place Names in North East of County Limerick. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 1, 185-90.

Lynch, J. F. 1909-11 Cromleacs in Co. Limerick. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 1, 30-5, 108-16.