Magheraghanrush Court Tomb
Location: Magheraghanrush - Deerpark, Co. Sligo
Classification: Court Tomb
SMR Code: SL015-050----
Rating:
Also known as the Deerpark Court Tomb, Magheraghanrush, is located on a small hill within the Deerpark Forest Park and at at 30 m (100 ft) long, is one of the largest Court Tombs in Ireland. The court is oval and located in the centre with two chambers at one end and a single chamber at the other. The central court is not a perfect oval but is crooked in the middle, indicating that there was originally one court cairn which was then added to. The western end with the single gallery is thought to to be the older of the two. The northeast gallery still has a split lintel stone in place over its entrance. It is quite unusual for a court cairn/tomb to be so prominently sited, however the reason for its construction at such elevated location was probably the view of and its interaction with the surrounding landscape - Unfortunately these views have become obstructed by the forest plantation. The enclosed central court (15m x 8m) is accessed via an entrance to the south and has 3 galleries leading off it. The western end of the court has one large chambered gallery with two more built side by side at the eastern end. A split lintel stone is still in situ over the entrance to the north-east gallery, the other two having been pushed over in the 1920’s.
The central court itself is not a perfect oval but is crooked in the middle, indicating that the western half of the monument, with its standard single gallery and east-facing semicircular court was built first. The eastern half of the monument with its double gallery and slightly squared west facing court was a later addition. Although the Deepark monument has never been properly excavated, investigations by early antiquarians recovered the remains of up to ten people, including adults and children at the site. Although there has been no verified dating of the monument, Court Tombs are some of the earliest megalithic monuments to be constructed in Ireland dating from c.3800 to c.3500 BCE. The forest, known as Deerpark is, as the name suggests, a large park for keeping deer. These enclosed hunting grounds date from the later medieval period (12th-16th centuries AD) up to the 19th century.
The later peoples of Ireland would wonder at these huge enigmatic constructions and frequently attributed them to giants, giving rise to the proliferation of giants in Irish mythology. Hence one the local names for this tomb being "The Giants Grave” (and from above it does look like a huge stone figure). On some old maps it is referred to as a ‘druids altar’. The name for the area around the monument is Magheraghanrush from the Irish ‘Machaire Chon Rois’ (The Plain of the Hound of Ros). It is also said to be one of a number of burial places of Eógan Bél - King of Connacht who died in the Battle of Sligo in 542.
Description
Also known as the Deerpark Court Tomb, Magheraghanrush, is located on a small hill within the Deerpark Forest Park and at at 30 m (100 ft) long, is one of the largest Court Tombs in Ireland. The court is oval and located in the centre with two chambers at one end and a single chamber at the other. The central court is not a perfect oval but is crooked in the middle, indicating that there was originally one court cairn which was then added to. The western end with the single gallery is thought to to be the older of the two. The northeast gallery still has a split lintel stone in place over its entrance. It is quite unusual for a court cairn/tomb to be so prominently sited, however the reason for its construction at such elevated location was probably the view of and its interaction with the surrounding landscape - Unfortunately these views have become obstructed by the forest plantation. The enclosed central court (15m x 8m) is accessed via an entrance to the south and has 3 galleries leading off it. The western end of the court has one large chambered gallery with two more built side by side at the eastern end. A split lintel stone is still in situ over the entrance to the north-east gallery, the other two having been pushed over in the 1920’s.
History
The central court itself is not a perfect oval but is crooked in the middle, indicating that the western half of the monument, with its standard single gallery and east-facing semicircular court was built first. The eastern half of the monument with its double gallery and slightly squared west facing court was a later addition. Although the Deepark monument has never been properly excavated, investigations by early antiquarians recovered the remains of up to ten people, including adults and children at the site. Although there has been no verified dating of the monument, Court Tombs are some of the earliest megalithic monuments to be constructed in Ireland dating from c.3800 to c.3500 BCE. The forest, known as Deerpark is, as the name suggests, a large park for keeping deer. These enclosed hunting grounds date from the later medieval period (12th-16th centuries AD) up to the 19th century.
Folklore
The later peoples of Ireland would wonder at these huge enigmatic constructions and frequently attributed them to giants, giving rise to the proliferation of giants in Irish mythology. Hence one the local names for this tomb being "The Giants Grave” (and from above it does look like a huge stone figure). On some old maps it is referred to as a ‘druids altar’. The name for the area around the monument is Magheraghanrush from the Irish ‘Machaire Chon Rois’ (The Plain of the Hound of Ros). It is also said to be one of a number of burial places of Eógan Bél - King of Connacht who died in the Battle of Sligo in 542.
Accessibility Rating: Moderate
The monument is easily accessed located in a clearing on a high ridge along the forest path, about 15 mins walk from the forest carpark which has an information board with maps of the trails- a good pair of boots is advised as the path can get quite muddy.
Carpark with an Information Board
Accessibility
Accessibility Class: Moderate
The monument is easily accessed located in a clearing on a high ridge along the forest path, about 15 mins walk from the forest carpark which has an information board with maps of the trails- a good pair of boots is advised as the path can get quite muddy.
Facilities
Carpark with an Information Board
Map
Directions
Weather
Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise: 08:37
Sunset: 16:11
Directions
Weather
Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise: 08:37
Sunset: 16:11
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