Megalithic tomb - passage tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

In a small sub-circular sinkhole (E-W 26m; N-S 23m; D 2.5m along N; which presumably formed after the monument was constructed) in an area of numerous sinkholes on the bog-grown S-facing slope of the Ox Mountains (Slieve Gamph). This is a grass-grown circular cairn (diam. 11.5m to 12.5m; H c. 2m) at the top of which the upper part of the N side of a well-built drystone wall is exposed. A C-shaped arc of walling (SL036-001002-) survives and outlines a space measuring 1.7m E-W and 1m N-S. Up to four courses of walling (H 0.8m) are exposed. The wall is built of small stones laid in corbel fashion so that it inclines inwardly as it rises. The wall is part of a burial chamber the design and nature of which is uncertain. The elevated location of the site and the presence of a circular cairn suggest it might belong in the passage tomb tradition. (Aldridge 1960-1, 89-90)

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