Cursus

The National Monuments Service's description

On the E mountain slope of Slievenamon. A cairn (TS078-001----) is situated just E of the summit of the mountain and is 150m WNW of the cursus. Another cairn (TS071-021----) is visible 1km to N from the upper end of the cursus and an unclassified megalithic tomb (TS071-064----), though not visible, is located c. 930m to the N. The view NE-E-S is extensive, with the passage tomb at Knockroe (KK034-019001-) c. 10km to the E and the passage tomb at Baunfree (KK034-031----) c. 13km to the SE. Aligned roughly E-W, the monument, running downslope, consists of two roughly parallel stone banks (N bank Wth 1.9m at top; overall Wth 3.3m; H 0.3m; S bank Wth 1.3m at top; overall Wth 2.2-2.9m; H 0.25-0.35m) overgrowth with grass, moss and heather. The banks are 90m apart, though they narrow to 75m at the upper western end. The upper end terminates with a bank (Wth 2.7m at top; overall Wth 5.5m; int. H 1m; ext. H 0.22m) which curves at the NW angle, while at the SW angle there is a gap (Wth 2.7m). The N bank runs E-W from the W end for 118m before turning ESE for the remaining c. 260m while the S bank runs ESE-WNW for its entire length of c. 360m. The upper end of the monument is on a relatively gentle slope, however, the ground level becomes increasingly steeper and both banks appear to terminate at the E end where the ground level becomes very steep. Similar cursus monuments have been identified in Carlow (CW020-026----; CW020-027----); Kilkenny (KK005-004----); Kildare (KD032-058----) and Wicklow (WI005-124----; WI027-089----).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 23 May 2016