Wedge tomb in Parknabinnia

In rough pasture on a plateau which slopes gently down to the W and N and offering wide views out S-E. Indicated and labelled ‘Cromlech’ on the Cassini edition (1920) of the OS 6-inch map. Described by de Valera and Ó Nualláin (1961, 54-5) as a well-preserved wedge tomb (int. dims. c. 1.8m NE-SW; Wth 0.75m) orientated NE-SW and embedded in the centre of an oval-shaped mound (c. 7.3m E-W; 5m N-S; est. H c. 0.5m). The N sidestone (L 2.3m; H 0.75m at SW, sloping to 0.65m at NE; T 0.15m) was cracked 1.5m from its SW end. The parallel S sidestone opposite (L 1.85m; H 0.7; T 0.2m) was also noted as sloping regularly down from SW to NE. The backstone (L 0.7m; H 0.6m; T 0.07m) at the NE end had a vertical crack through its centre; the top edge also appeared broken, such that the slab stood to 0.3m below the level of the sidestones (ibid.). The displaced capstone (L 1.85m; Wth 1.6m; T 0.15m) lay immediately to the NE of the tomb. Another prostrate slab (L 1.3m; T 0.15m) just to the E may have been part of the capstone. The interior of the tomb chamber was paved with slabs (L 0.5m) which appeared to have been laid in relatively recent times (ibid.). An inspection of the tomb in 1998 found it unaltered in the interim, except that there appeared to be elements of a kerb visible on the S side of the mound, 2.7m from the S sidestone where two stones (one L 0.8m; H 0.5m; Wth 0.2m) ran parallel with the side of the tomb. Another stone running N-S to the W of the tomb is less certain as a kerbstone.  Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott   Date of upload: 23-10-2025