Giants Bed — Carmoney

This tomb and the one nearby (Dg. 18) are at the eastern limit of an extensive tract of hilly ground that stretches westward to Glen Lough, 5.5km distant. They are near the top of a boggy S-facing slope and overlook the inner end of Mulroy Bay, 2.3km to the SE The monument is rather well preserved but deeply embedded in the bog. It consists of a wedge-shaped gallery, which was at least 10m long, aligned SSW-NNE. The back of the gallery, to the NNE, is missing or concealed. A transverse slab, 1.8m from the present end of the gallery, indicates the presence of a rear chamber. Roofstones, some now cracked, cover much of the gallery. Several stones protruding from the bog at either side of the gallery represent closely set outer-walling. A narrow grassy mound, c. 15m long, 7m wide and 0.8m high, surrounds the greater part of the structure. At around mid-length, grass-grown fill blocks the gallery for c. 1.5m. This apart, the present floor of the gallery, which is subject to flooding, is between 0.7m and 1m below the roofstones. Beyond the E end of the structure a hole, 1.2m by 1m, has been dug to the depth of the gallery floor. The front orthostat on the N side of the gallery is set inside the line of the others on the same side, as are the two front stones at the S. That at the N is 0.6m in exposed height. The outer stone at the S is 0.7m in exposed height, and the inner one is 0.8m. These three stones narrow the gallery to a width of 1.2m, and it seems likely that they formed the sides of an entrance feature, perhaps a portico. The gallery is 1.9m wide a little beyond the feature just described and narrows to 1.35m at the transverse slab c. 6m to the NNE. The orthostats forming this portion of the gallery vary considerably in size. Some are relatively large slabs, and others are small and pillar-like. Nine sidestones, one of which forms part of the rear chamber, are visible at the N, and eight are exposed on the S. These range from 0.2m to 1.6m long and from 0.1m to 0.3m thick. Some are as much as 0.9m in exposed height, and a number midway along the gallery are all but concealed by the fill referred to above. A general diminution in the heights of the gallery sidestones from W to E is evident from the disposition of the roofstones. A split in the longest sidestone on the N side is indicated by a pecked line on the plan. The eastern endchamber was at least 1.8m long and narrows to 0.8m at the back. The transversely set slab separating this chamber from the rest of the structure spans the width of the gallery and rises to roof height. The northern side of this chamber is represented by part of the orthostat extending beyond the transverse slab and by two other stones. These two stones and the one remaining stone on the southern side of the chamber, the lowest of the gallery sidestones, are all exposed to a depth of 0.7m. Two intact roofstones and at least four others, variously damaged, cover the greater part of the gallery and are laid directly on the sidestones. That toward the front measures 2.9m by 0.9m and is 0.3m thick. The next, 0.7m to the E, though split into three pieces as indicated by pecked lines on the plan, retains, more or less, its original position. When intact it measured 2m by 1m by 0.25m thick. Though not apparent from the plan, it is supported by two inward-leaning sidestones at the N, as well as by two sidestones at the S. The adjoining roofstone is split into two approximately equal parts along its long axis. The western part is in place, but the eastern is tilted skywards. When intact this stone measured 2.3m by 1.5m by 0.35m thick. Beyond this two displaced slabs that appear to have formed part of the roof protrude from the fill of the gallery. The bigger one, at least 1.5m in maximum dimension and 0.3m thick, rises above the southern side of the gallery. The smaller, at least 0.5m by 0.4m, rises above the northern side of the gallery. The roofstone beyond these is in position above the gallery and measures 1.8m by 1.4m by 0.25m thick. The adjoining roofstone covers the endchamber. Unlike the others, this slab has been placed with its long axis along rather than across the gallery. It is now split into two parts but holds its position and measures 1.75m by 1.5m by 0.25m thick. Two outer-wall stones can be recognised to the N of the gallery. One, 0.3m beyond the front of the gallery, is 0.3m in exposed height. Between this outer-wall stone and the gallery side and extending a short distance to the E are four small stones, not hatched on the plan. Only the tops of these are visible. They seem firmly set, but their status is uncertain. They may represent an intermediate line of walling between the gallery side and the close-set outer-walling or may simply be packing-stones. The second outer-wall stone at the N is 4.3m E of the first and is 0.15m in exposed height. Four outer-wall stones survive at the S, all outside the front half of the gallery. The westernmost of these, a large boulder, is immediately outside the westernmost orthostat on this side of the gallery and rises 0.3m above it. It is 1.1m in exposed height. The second, close to the first, is 0.3m in exposed height and the same height as the gallery side. The third outer-wall stone, 0.5m beyond the second, is 0.4m in exposed height. The fourth, 1.3m to the E of the third, is a low stone, 0.2m in exposed height. A brief description of the monument in an OS Revision Name Book (1848-9) indicates that it was then in much the same condition as it is now. Otway 1827, 35 (described as a long cave c. 34 feet (c. 10.3m) long); Hill 1847, 15 (giant's bed in Drummuckalathery recte Drummacaladerry, a townland adjoining Carmoney, refers); OS Revision Name Book, sheet 27 (1848-9), 23; Prim 1849-51, 15 (mentions Otway's reference quoted above); Ó Nualláin 1983a, 39, no. 93; SMR 1987, 27:11; Ó Nualláin 1989, 136; RMP 1995, 27:11. 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 See linked document with details from Eamon Cody, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume VI. County Donegal. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002)