Kilclooney Portal Tomb

Kilclooney Portal Tomb

Location: Kilclooney More, Co. Donegal

Classification: Portal Tomb

SMR Code: DG073-004----

Rating:

The dolmen at Kilclooney which dates from circa. 3500 BC, is one of the finest examples of a Portal Tomb in the country. It is almost completely intact and measures approximately 4m long, 6m across, and stands over 3m high, making it also one of the largest in Ireland. A few metres from this dolmen is a much smaller partially collapsed portal tomb. It is believed a single cairn may have completely covered the two tombs. It is aligned with the sunrise during the Summer Solstice and is generally regarded to be one of the most beautiful dolmens in Ireland.

Description

The dolmen at Kilclooney which dates from circa. 3500 BC, is one of the finest examples of a Portal Tomb in the country. It is almost completely intact and measures approximately 4m long, 6m across, and stands over 3m high, making it also one of the largest in Ireland. A few metres from this dolmen is a much smaller partially collapsed portal tomb. It is believed a single cairn may have completely covered the two tombs. It is aligned with the sunrise during the Summer Solstice and is generally regarded to be one of the most beautiful dolmens in Ireland.

History

Portal Tombs or Dolmens, were created between 3800 and 3200 BC and are generally held to be actual tombs, though they may also have had a ritual significance. The stones we see now would have originally been covered in earthen mounds, with the area below the capstone forming an entrance leading to the tomb proper. Hence the correct name of Portal Tombs.

Gallery

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Accessibility Rating: Easy - Moderate

From Ardara take the R261 North to Kilclooney, facing the new Dolmen Centre in Kilclooney is a church, take the small track to the left of the church, this track takes you to the right of a house with a stile over a gate. The monument is about 500metres up a trackway.

Accessibility

Accessibility Class: Easy - Moderate

From Ardara take the R261 North to Kilclooney, facing the new Dolmen Centre in Kilclooney is a church, take the small track to the left of the church, this track takes you to the right of a house with a stile over a gate. The monument is about 500metres up a trackway.

Facilities

There are no facilities at this monument

Map

Directions

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Sunrise/Sunset

Sunrise: 08:08

Sunset: 17:29

Directions

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Weather

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Sunrise/Sunset

Sunrise: 08:08

Sunset: 17:29

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