If you're going to try and have a big day then what better than to start with a big site! And this is one big site!
I knew it was a fine court tomb, so I talked Julian into letting me drag him here (I told him we'd have a fine view of Knocknarea (County Sligo) from nearby) and, like me, he wasn't disappointed. I knew that the layout was unusual, but I was not prepared for its size.
The tomb has a massive (25m x 15m) oval court with a clear entrance on the one side. At one end is what must be the biggest court tomb gallery there is. It is 2m wide and over 6m long and divided into two chambers by two enormous jamb stones. The entrance lintel lies just inside the court in front of the tomb.
At the other end is something equally amazing - two huge galleries side by side. These don't actually share any stones, being separated by about 1m. They each are very nearly as big as the single one at the far end. Beyond these is a secondary chamber in total ruins.
Some of the kerb remains, but it is very, very scant.
The only problem with the site is the modern pine forest that engulfs the site. The distance from the car park is a plus, because it makes this site fairly remote and so it has not become like Creevykeel (County Sligo) where people stop by because the guide book told them to do so.
To get your view of Knocknarea carry on through the woods to the far side from the trail from the car park.
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_My wife has read about and seen plans of court tombs for a while now, but has never seen a really good one. I really can't think of a more impressive one than this - others equal it, but none beat it.
There were a lot of fires around the site and a lot of damage has been done to the stones of one of the galleries.
All Sites Visited On 7th September 2003 « Previous Site Next Site »
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_A Random Selection of Nearby Monuments
 Rathlackan (Co. Mayo) |  Farnoge (Co. Kilkenny) |  Clontygora (Co. Armagh) |
 Ballynamona Lower (Co. Waterford) |  Carricknamoghil (Co. Donegal) |  Claggan (Co. Donegal) |
