What is recorded here

Cloghacurragh Giant's Grave was a standing chamber in County Donegal, destroyed around 1830 when treasure hunters pulled its stones apart and scattered human bones across the soil. Thomas Fagan found only three broken pieces lying in the dirt in 1847, proving the chamber had fallen victim to human greed. The grave no longer exists, but its loss exposes the violence done to ancient places when people treat memory as a trophy to be stolen.

This was first shown on the 1847-9 edition of the OS 6-inch map, where it is marked at a position c. 40m NW of and across the road from that shown on the 1907 edition of the map. There is no trace of an ancient feature at either location. Thomas Fagan (1845-8), who described it as the ruins of a 'Giant's Grave', found three large prostrate stones here in 1847. They measured, on average, 91/2 feet (c. 2.9m) long, 4-7 feet (c. 1.2-2.15m) wide and 11/2 feet (c. 0.45m) thick. He was informed that they had stood until around 1830, when they were dislodged by people said to have been searching for treasure. Human bones were reportedly unearthed during the search. Fagan 1845-8, book 17, 8; OS 1:2, 500 Name Book, sheet 108 (1905), 2; Ó Nualláin 1983a, 47, no. 147; SMR 1987, 108:1; RMP 1995, 108:1. The above description was published in the 'Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume VI, County Donegal.' Compiled by: Eamon Cody (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). Date of upload: 22 September 2008

This remains an important historical record, but the official description says the monument is no longer visible or has been destroyed. The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.