Megalithic tomb - portal tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on a NW-facing slope. This monument was first published by Conwell (1864-6) who highlighted the cupmarks on the upper surface of the roofstone, although it was always admitted that these might be the result of weathering as is probably the case. Of the incised art on the underside of the roofstone and the side of the only upright facing inwards there could be no doubt, although it was difficult to provide a context. The tomb and its art was much discussed in the early days (du Noyer 1868; Borlase vol. 2, 343-4; Atkins 1896, Lecture Waterford Archaeological Journal, 2, 72-4; Tempest 1939), and Raftery (1939) was of the view that two of these curvilinear designs including a triskele motif were Iron Age in date, and he is probably right. The other designs, largely simple circles, have affinities in Passage Tomb art from the Boyne valley (Shee-Twohig, 1981, 236; 2004, 226).

The remains of the tomb consist of a large roofstone (3.25m x 2.3m; T 0.85m) resting against a single upright stone (H 1.45m), possibly the sole surviving orthostat of a portal-tomb. An inclined slab beside it to the S appears to be set in the ground and may represent a further structural element, possibly a sillstone.

Revised by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 18 April 2017
Amended: 3 August 2022

References

Shee Twohig, E. 1981 The Megalithic Art of Western Europe. Oxford, Clarendon Press

Moore, M. 1987 Archaeological inventory of county Meath. Dublin. Stationery Office.

Du Noyer, G.V. 1868 Remarks on a class of cromleacs for which the name “primary” or “earthfast” is proposed. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 10, 40-46.

Conwell, E. A. 1864-66 On an Inscribed Cromleac near Rathkenny, Co. Meath. Poceedings of the Royal Irish Academy vol. 9, 541-5.

Raftery, J. 1939 Early Iron Age Decoration on the Dolmen at Rathkenny, Co. Meath. County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society Journal, 9, 3, 258-61.

Tempest, H. G. 1939 Rathkenny Dolmen Scribbings. County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society Journal, 9, 3, 253-57.

Shee Twohig, E. 2004 An enduring tradition: incised rock art in Ireland. In H. Roche, E. Grogan, J. Bradley, J. Coles and B. Raftery (eds) From Megaliths to Metal. Essays in honour of George Eogan. Oxford. Oxbow Books, 222-9.

Atkins, R. 1896, Lecture Waterford Archaeological Journal, 2, 72-4;