Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Cave
Glenballythomas, County Roscommon, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Glenballythomas
- County
- Roscommon
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.79739, -8.31056
- SMR number
- RO022-057031-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
On the S-facing slope of Rathcroghan plateau, inside earthwork (RO022-057028-). It was considered to be the entrance to the underworld, and the residence of Morrigan, a pagan goddess of war, as well as being the dwelling of magical pigs, cats and other animals and spirits who emerged at Samhain or Halloween, the feast of the dead. (Gormley 1989b, 12-14)
A stone-built and lintelled passage (dims 10.5m NNW-SSE; 0.75-1.4m; H 1-1.8m) of a souterrain (RO022-057029-) is partly rock-cut and descends from the blocked entrance at SE to a natural cave (dims 37m NNW-SSE; Wth of base c. 0.7-2.5m; max. H c. 7m). A second passage which joins the main passage close to the blocked entrance is now destroyed in its central part but allows access to the main passage through a short section (Wth 1.35m; H 0.9m) aligned ENE-WSW (L 2m), which serves as the present entrance to the whole structure. The original end of this passage is preserved as an inaccessible undifferentiated passage end (dims c. 1.5m x 1.5m) in the field bank c. 3m W of the present entrance to Oweynagat, although this has been interpreted as a separate souterrain (Waddell et al. 2009, 81-3). There is an ogham stone (RO022-057030-) at the junction of the two passages, and another (RO022-057084-) is at the SE end of the main passage. (Herity 1983, 132; 1987a, 138, Glenballythomas 17; Waddell 1983, 33, No. 21; Waddell 1988, 13-4; Condit and Moore 2003)
This is a National Monument in state ownership: No. 473
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 24 August 2010
References
Condit, T. and Moore, F. 2003 Oweynagat. Archaeology Ireland. Heritage Guide, No. 22.
Herity, M. 1983 A survey of the royal site of Cruachain in Connacht, 1. Introduction, the monuments and topography. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 113, 121-42.
Herity, M. 1987a A survey of the royal site of Cruachain in Connaught. 3. Ringforts and ecclesiastical sites. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 117, 125-41.
Waddell, J. 1983 Rathcroghan - a royal site in Connaught. Journal of Irish Archaeology 1, 21-46.
Waddell, J. 1988 Rathcroghan in Connacht. Emania 5, 5-18.
Nearby in the register
- Ogham stoneunder 1 mi
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
- Ogham stoneunder 1 mi
- Earthworkunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.