Wedge tomb in Canrooska

This is the most southerly of two wedge tombs situated on a gently sloping terrace in blanket bog at the head of the Canrooska River valley on the upper slopes of Barraboy Mountain; there are fine views from the monument to the S, overlooking Glengarriff Harbour and Bantry Bay. The remains comprise a gallery (L 3.2m; Wth 1.25m at W, narrowing to c. 0.75m at E), aligned NE-SW, largely enveloped in peat. The N side is formed by at least three stones and the tops of two others are exposed on the S side; the E end is closed by a backstone. The W end is sealed by a substantial septal-stone inset in the gallery sides and is fronted by a portico formed by single orthostats on each side with two further jamb-like stones set inside them. The E section of the chamber is flanked by three close-set outer-wall stones along the N and S sides. An inclined slab protruding from the peat immediately W of the portico may represent some other element of closure at this end or it could delimit the W end of the outer-walling. The gallery is covered by two partially displaced roofstones (W slab: 2.2m x 1.45m; T c. 0.12m; E slab: 1.8m x 2.3m; Wth c. 0.15m). The second wedge tomb (CO090-021002-) is 20m to the N. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009