MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS
OF IRELAND.COM
OF IRELAND.COM
| LISNADARRAGH WEDGE TOMB |
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| The wedge tomb at Lisnadarragh (Lios na Darach) is located in poor pasture land, amidst low drumlins, south-side of the L4023, which is east of the north-bound R181, 2km north of Shercock (Searcóg, meaning ‘young love’), Co. Cavan, on the Cavan/Monaghan county border. The tomb marked as 'Cromlech' on all early editions of the OS maps, is aligned approximately NE-SW and consists of a narrow gallery, measuring 4.5m in length by 1.9m in width, flanked on either side by outer walling which extends 2m beyond to SW. 20 side-stones or orthostats, the tallest 1.8m in height at the entrance, decrease in height & size from SW to NE to form the sides of the tomb. Only one roof-stone remains and lies to NE of gallery. Although evolving from the Neolithic, wedge tombs in Ireland are of a Bronze Age date and typically produce Beaker pottery. Borlase gives a brief mention of the monument when he states that 'in the Townland of Lisnadarragh, and Parish of Aghanamullen, a Cromlech is marked in Ord. Surv. Map No. 27. It lies S. of the road leading from Cootehill to Carrickmacross, on the borders of the county' (Borlase, p.295). Shirley calls it a 'cromlech' and gives a more precise description of the monument. He describes it as being composed of ‘seven standing stones, the highest about 6 feet, with several smaller ones disposed like a 'Giant's Grave,' about 8 yards long and 3 yards broad' (Shirley, p.493). Sources: Borlase, W. ‘The Dolmens of Ireland’ (Vol. 1., 1897). Shirley, Evelyn Philip, 'History of the County of Monaghan' (Pickering, 1879) 'Archaeological Inventory of County Monaghan' (Dublin, 1986). |
| CO-ORDINATES 54 0' 47.902"N...6 53' 44.456"W |
