Passage tomb in Ardloy

On the summit of a ridge in pasture and commanding an outlook in all directions. The remains of a cruciform passage tomb stand in the base of a cairn. The cairn perimeter has been disturbed by two adjoining raths (SL034-108001- to NW and SL034-110---- to E). A retaining kerb is represented by three leaning stones at the NE which indicate that the cairn was of round outline. The tomb would seem to have opened to the SW. An orthostat at the NE is the backstone and another opposite it and 4.65m to the SW appears to be a sillstone. This stone may have marked a point of segmentation along the passage, now otherwise destroyed. A well-preserved chamber (0.8m x 0.7m) some 1.5m SSW of the backstone is the right-hand side-chamber of the tomb. Single stones form its sides and back and it is entered between two jamb-like stones. The opposite side-chamber is represented only by its backstone. A displaced roofstone lies against the SE side-chamber and another leans against the surviving sillstone. A number of other displaced or partly buried stones lie at the site. (Ó Nualláin 1989, 93) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008 See linked document with details from Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume V. County Sligo. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1989)

Neolithic passage tomb, dating to approximately 3500–2500 BCE. Its location on a prominent ridge suggests it was a significant ceremonial or burial site with potential ritual or astronomical alignments.