Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

On rough pasture on the lower slopes of the Ox Mountains commanding an outlook to the S. The tomb, well-preserved, is partly obscured by a fence running along its N side and W end. A gallery facing WSW is divided by a jamb-like stone at the N into a portico (L 1.9m) and main chamber (L 7.6m; Wth 1.55m at front, 1.95m towards mid-length, 1.3m at rear). The long axis of the gallery and that of the portico are at a slight angle to each other. A stone at the front of the portico divides the gallery entrance in two. Only one stone, at the S, remains of the portico sides. The main chamber orthostats are partly concealed by fill. Eight are visible on the N side, eleven to the S, and the gallery is closed by a single stone. A slab resting on the S side of the gallery at about mid-length seems to be a displaced roofstone. The facade and outer-walling represented by twelve orthostats merge to form a broad curve around the N side of the gallery. A large orthostat about 1m beyond the gallery backstone seems to represent the back of the outer wall. To the S, four outer-wall stones are in place beyond the middle and back of the gallery and between the easternmost of these and the large orthostat representing the back of the outer wall there are five fallen examples. A lone facade-stone adjoins the S side of the gallery entrance. Two large blocks 3m to the S of the SE corner of the structure do not seem to have formed part of the monument. There are some slight traces of a mound around the structure. (Ó Nualláin 1989, 56-7, no. 89)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005).

Date of upload: 18 January 2008

See linked document with details from Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume V. County Sligo. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1989)