| MONUMENT OF THE MONTH |
MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS
OF IRELAND.COM
| APRIL 2010 |
CO-ORDINATES
52 37' 11.715"N...6 57' 38.962"W
52 37' 11.715"N...6 57' 38.962"W
DIRECTIONS
From Goresbridge drive south on the R702 for about 4km. You will come to agroup of
houses on the left. Watch out for a small drive-way half hidden, with yellow walls and
pillars on the left. Drive up here under a dis-used railway bridge until you come to the
farmhouse. Ask here for permission and the tomb is one field to the north of the house
From Goresbridge drive south on the R702 for about 4km. You will come to agroup of
houses on the left. Watch out for a small drive-way half hidden, with yellow walls and
pillars on the left. Drive up here under a dis-used railway bridge until you come to the
farmhouse. Ask here for permission and the tomb is one field to the north of the house
| BALLYGRANEY PORTAL TOMB CO.CARLOW |
M M I
PHOTO by Pip POWELL
MAR 2010
MAR 2010
THE VIEW EAST TO MOUNT LEINSTER
CHAMBER SIDE STONES
THE BACK DRY-STONE WALL
M M I
M M I
M M I
It is just fantastic to come across an almost intact portal tomb, complete with capstone, two portal stones,
a door-slab, side stones, dry-stone walling at the back and a dry chamber. The huge capstone, which looks like a
giant sea turtle from the back similar to Ballynoe portal tomb,weighs about 6-8 tons and measures 3.9m in length
3.1m in width and 0.90m in depth. The slim portal stones are 1.1m in height and are jambed into the earth at the
front with the door-slab tightly lodged between them. The beauty of this tomb is in the chamber which can be
accessed at rear where a small hole has been dug-out. This is where you can view the side stones still in their
original position,curving around to the back where the tomb slopes onto a small dry-stone wall. The chamber is
large measuring 2.6m in length, 1.9m in width and 1.1m in high. From here you can get a real idea of the structure
of the tomb. The door-slab measures 2.4m in width, 1.2m height and 0.40m in depth and fits like a glove into the
entrance. There are three side stones on each side and are butted neatly together and they gradually diminish in
height towards the rear where the capstone rests on top of the small tightly packed dry-stone wall. The tomb has
fields walls radiating from the portal stones to the north and south and are most likely the remains of the cairn.
The orientation of the tomb is to the east and to the mountain peak of Mount Leinster in the distance. It was a
real privilege to sit inside this tomb and to see first hand the workmanship that went into the construction of this
magnificent monument that to me it rates as high as Brownes Hill further to the north and is a real hidden gem
of county Carlow. A must for everyone to see.
a door-slab, side stones, dry-stone walling at the back and a dry chamber. The huge capstone, which looks like a
giant sea turtle from the back similar to Ballynoe portal tomb,weighs about 6-8 tons and measures 3.9m in length
3.1m in width and 0.90m in depth. The slim portal stones are 1.1m in height and are jambed into the earth at the
front with the door-slab tightly lodged between them. The beauty of this tomb is in the chamber which can be
accessed at rear where a small hole has been dug-out. This is where you can view the side stones still in their
original position,curving around to the back where the tomb slopes onto a small dry-stone wall. The chamber is
large measuring 2.6m in length, 1.9m in width and 1.1m in high. From here you can get a real idea of the structure
of the tomb. The door-slab measures 2.4m in width, 1.2m height and 0.40m in depth and fits like a glove into the
entrance. There are three side stones on each side and are butted neatly together and they gradually diminish in
height towards the rear where the capstone rests on top of the small tightly packed dry-stone wall. The tomb has
fields walls radiating from the portal stones to the north and south and are most likely the remains of the cairn.
The orientation of the tomb is to the east and to the mountain peak of Mount Leinster in the distance. It was a
real privilege to sit inside this tomb and to see first hand the workmanship that went into the construction of this
magnificent monument that to me it rates as high as Brownes Hill further to the north and is a real hidden gem
of county Carlow. A must for everyone to see.
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