Megalithic tomb - portal tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a local rocky rise in farmland. The feature, now obscured by thorn bushes, is referred to as a 'Pagan Altar' in the OS Memoranda (1840) though no details are provided. According to an OS Name Book (1904) there were then two large stones here. A rough sketch by Seán P. Ó Riordáin dating to about the mid 1950s shows a large orthostat, some 2m high and apparently orientated E-W, at the southern edge of a pile of field stones among or on which are two partly overlapping prostate slabs. In 1967 a pile of overgrown field stones marked the spot. (De Valera and Ó Nualláin 1982, 97, No.2)
Monument was described in 1915 as following; ‘In the townland of Creggawns in the parish of Youghal Ara are the remains of a Druid’s Altar and Grove. Three large stones remain; one stone is 12 feet [3.65m] high by 4 feet 6 inches [1.37m] wide, it is still standing erect; two other stones lie at its base, the latter stones are about 9 feet [2.75m] long by 1 foot 6 inches [0.45m] to 3 feet [0.9m] wide. The land in which the stones are situated underwent reclamation about twenty years ago, and many stones removed at that time. During the reclamation a stone axe was found at the base of the largest stone; the blade of axe was complete, and the stone of which it was composed was of very hard quality ; silver coins, about the size of crown pieces and of the purest silver, were also found here. About fifty yards from the altar a subterranean chamber was found, its dimensions were 14 feet [4.25m] long, 14 feet deep [4.25m] and 3 feet 6 inches [1.05m] wide- it was lined with flags. This chamber was filled with a substance resembling bone, which crumbled away on exposure to the air The present owner of the field removed a quantity of stones from the altar, they are still to be seen in the surrounding fences’ (Gleeson 1982, 507).
The site has recently been partially cleared of vegetation by the landowner and the tall orthostat with possible collapsed capstone and side-stone described by Gleeson in 1915 are now clearly visible (pers. comm. Derek Ryan 26/04/2016). While the monument cannot be classified with certainty the tall orthostat with sloping top and the large prostrate slab are strongly suggestive of the last remnants of a portal tomb. The interpretation given is purely tentative and a proper elucidation of the monument must await further investigation.

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien & Jean Farrelly

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 5 May 2016

References

Gleeson, Rev. J. 1915 (Reprint 1982, 2 vols. with intro. and biblio. by George Cunningham) History of the Ely O'Carroll territory or Ancient Ormond. Kilkenny. Roberts Books.

de Valera, R. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1982 Survey of the megalithic tombs of Ireland. Vol. IV, Counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary. Dublin. Stationery Office.