What can be said about this amazing piece of sculpte that hasn't already been said elsewhere. The awesome sight of the tomb on the skyline as you approach from the church is simply wondeful. When you actually draw near to the monument it is truly amazing, beautiful, breath-taking and a lot more besides.
There are actually two portal tombs here that once shared the same cairn and bits of the kerb can still be seen poking out of the ground. It is the larger of the two that everyone photographs - and why not .. it's fantastic - but the smaller one deserves some attention too. Like the smaller tomb at Ballyrenan (County Tyrone) this has an usual lintel across the top of the portal stones. Also, it is interesting to note that it is not built on the same axis as the larger tomb. However, the larger tomb, the smaller tomb and a large standing stone 40m away do form a straight line. A low wall bisectsthe space between the two tombs.
The main structure has an architectural beauty from nearly every angle, but it is from the north that it really comes to life, taking on the form of a bird on the wing or a futuristic starship.
I spent a lot of time here, as the sun had come out and was threatening to set with real style. I was about to phone home to change my plans, because I wanted to stay a while longer, when I found out that I'd lost my mobile phone! A great finish to the day.
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_I really had hoped for a spectacular sunset on this visit and waited around, but I was not to be treated today. I stayed until nearly dark to see if the sky would clear and provide me with a starry backdrop, but that didn't happen either.
This disappointment couldn't dampen being able to spend an hour or so here again, though. If I lived closer to this one I'd be here as often as I could be.
One odd thing happened while I was waiting around. I was looking west past the tomb when I had a strange feeling. I turned around and there was a huge black hound looking down at me from the top of a nearby hillock. At first I thought it was a large rottweiler, but it had no brown upon its chest, so thought maybe it was a mastif or something. After staring at me for a few minutes it turned around and bounded off, disappearing down the other side of the hillock. I waited for a few minutes expecting it and its owner to appear walking down the track back towards the church, but no one appeared. Eventually I plucked up the courage to walk to the top of the rise where the dog had stood and looked around. Nothing. Not a sole to be seen. All that was missing was the dog having glowing, red eyes to completely freak me out!
| Catherine Carey from Baltimore, MD, USA |  |
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_A Random Selection of Nearby Monuments
 Ballindoon (Co. Sligo) |  Ballybrack (Co. Dublin) |  Aghnaskeagh (Co. Louth) |
 Aughnagurgan (Co. Monaghan) |  The Labby Rock (Co. Sligo) |  Wateresk (Co. Down) |
