Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

On the western foothills of the Slievefelim Mountains, in rough pasture (600ft/183m OD) c. 1.2km to NW of Murroe and c. 0.75km to NW of Glenstal Abbey. Not depicted on OS historic mapping. Identified by Mr O Riordáin of the Glenstal Archaeological Society in 1958 (SMR File). Monument described in 1990 by Elizabeth Shee Twohig (1990, 50-1) as a single chamber or gallery (int. L 4m NE-SW), the N side of the gallery is intact and is defined by four orthostats and the S side of the gallery has one orthostat in place at each end (ibid). Two stones lying across the S side of the gallery are probably displaced side stones. Two stones which protrude just above the cairn material and which are parallel to the exterior of the gallery at N define an outer line of orthostats (ibid, 51). Three large, flattish stones to SE of the tomb are likely to be displaced capstones. According to local information, the capstones were removed in the early 1900s by workers on the Barrington estate of Glenstal Castle who apparently dug out the interior within the SW end of the tomb. This can be seen to have been excavated approximately 1m below the tops of the orthostats (ibid). The entrance is unclear. Most wedge tombs are open to W, however the stone (H 1.1m; T 0.4m) closing the western end of the gallery is one of the highest and most substantial stones in the tomb. The stone at the E end is lower and only 0.17m thick and would have been easier to move to facilitate an entrance. Shee Twohig (ibid.) stated that several other wedge tombs in the lower Shannon estuary have a similar arrangement where the E end is open e.g. Baurnadomeeny (TN038-009----), Co. Tipperary and Lough Gur (LI032-029----), Co. Limerick.

Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly

Date of upload: 3 July 2020

References

Shee Twohig, E. 1990 A wedge tomb at Garranbane, Murroe, Co. Limerick. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland Vol. 120, 50-2.