Carricknagat_Megalithic_Tombs
Carricknagat Megalithic Tombs
Tombs in County Sligo, Ireland
Carricknagat Megalithic Tombs are megalithic tombs and a National Monument located in County Sligo, Ireland.[1]
| Carricknagat | |
|---|---|
| Native name Irish: Tuamaí Meigiliteach Charraig na gCat | |
| Dermot & Grania's Bed and Giant's Grave | |
| Type | wedge-shaped gallery grave and dolmen |
| Location | Carricknagat, Ballygawley, County Sligo, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 54.334821°N 8.004539°W / 54.334821; -8.004539 |
| Elevation | 63 m (207 ft) |
| Built | c. 4000–2500 BC |
| Official name | Carricknagat |
| Reference no. | 277.01 |
Carricknagat is located halfway between Ballygawley and Ballintogher, near a source of the Ballisodare River.[2]
Carricknagat tombs were built c. 4000–2500 BC, in the Neolithic.
The name means "the cats' stone" or "the pine martens' stone;" ancient monuments are often said to be haunted by wild animals, possibly representing the spirits of the dead.[3]
West tomb
The tomb to the west, a wedge-shaped gallery grave (wedge tomb) called the Giant's Grave, is trapezoidal in plan with the inner end of a SSE-facing gallery (4 × 2.6 m) and is divided by jambs inset in the gallery walls, with a rear chamber 2 m (7 ft) long. The outer chamber is composed of side-stones, an upright stone and four three kerb-stones.[4]
East tomb
This tomb, a dolmen, is traditionally called Dermot & Grania's Bed.[5]
- Killanin, Baron Michael Morris; Duignan, Michael V. (1 January 1989). The Shell guide to Ireland. Gill and Macmillan. ISBN 9780717115952 – via Google Books.
- Kearins, Nora. "Townlands". Archived from the original on 6 November 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- Weir, Anthony (1 January 1980). Early Ireland: a field guide. Blackstaff Press. ISBN 9780856402128 – via Google Books.
- "Recorded Monuments protected under Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act, 1994 - County Sligo" (PDF). National Monuments Service. 1995.