Ever since I first heard about this monument I have wanted to visit it, but it's so far out of the way ... and it's in an estuary. Yes, it's in the river! At low tide it is accessible and when I visited 2 hours before a 1m low tide I had no trouble in reaching it. Naturally, it's a bit muddy around the tomb, so good boots or wellingtons are advisable.
The remains are impressive and, even if they weren't in a river, they would be worth visiting. A moderate-sized capstone is held aloft by just two orthostats. Between these, at the west end, there is another stone forming the chamber. This looks as if it was the back stone and not the doorstone.
The uprights are 2m tall, about 1.5m wide and stand 1.5m apart. The high tide reaches at least halfway up these, so coming at high tide probably isn't a good idea. Beneath the exposed seaweed around the tomb's base I (literally) stumbled upon another large flag. This, presumably, was once part of the tomb.
To the west of the monument there are several large boulders that have been beautifully eroded by the ebb and flow of the tide. At the water's edge there seems to be an old quarry, which could be where the stones for the tomb were taken from.
The tomb is visible from the far side of the estuary if you don't fancy the adventurous walk through the woodland to the south.
Click Thumbnail to View Full Size Image
_
_
_
_
_
_
_All Sites Visited On 23rd June 2007 « Previous Site Next Site »
| Philip Powell from Athy |  |
 Ballyknock (east) (Co. Mayo) |  Ballykeel (Co. Armagh) |  Wateresk (Co. Down) |
 Kilrooskagh (Co. Fermanagh) |  Crevolea (Co. Derry) |  Howth Castle (Co. Dublin) |
