Dermot and Grania's Bed Court Tomb — Tír Leadáin

The monument stands on generally level, wet, boggy pasture close to the craggy lower slopes of Knockalla Mountain, which overlooks the site from the W. To the E is a view across low-lying land to Lough Swilly, 2km distant. The monument, greatly ruined, consists of the remains of a gallery, c. 6.5m long, preceded at the N by the remains of the W arm of a court. The structure stands in a largely grass-grown and somewhat ill-defined stony mound, not more than 0.5m high, measuring in overall extent 15m N-S by almost 14m E-W. A fence runs into the NW corner of the mound. Two probable courtstones remain. The eastern one is set transversely to the line of the gallery and seems to have also served as an entrance jamb. It is 0.8m high. It may originally have been taller, as the top seems broken. Two low stones lie E and W of each other immediately beside it at the S but cannot be relied on as original features. The eastern one measures 0.4m by 0.2m by 0.4m high, and the western one is 0.8m by 0.35m by 0.25m high. The other likely courtstone stands 0.8m to the W of the first. It leans northward and is 1.4m high. Approximately 2m S of the entrance jamb two orthostats of the W side of the gallery survive. The southern one leans inward and is 0.8m high. Its sloping outer face is well suited to bear corbels. The second stone here is flat-topped and 1.4m high. Opposite this is the only surviving stone of the E side of the gallery. It is 1m high. The top seems broken, so it may originally have been taller. The southern end of this stone and the stone opposite are 1.8m apart, but they converge on each other toward the N, where they are 1.2m apart. These stones may have served as segmenting jambs. If so, this would suggest that the gallery consisted of at least two chambers. A displaced slab, 1.5m by 0.6m, lies 1.5m to the E of the presumed entrance jamb. It is clear from an account of the monument in an OS Revision Name Book (1849-50) that it was then in its present condition. OS Revision Name Book, sheet 28 (1849-50), 4; Kinahan 1889, 279 (incorrectly assigned to Carrowreagh townland); Borlase 1897, 231, Kilmacrenan no. 7 (incorrectly assigned to Carrowreagh townland); Somerville 1909, 195-8, with plan (under 'Glenvar'); de Valera 1960, 106, DG. 10 (plan); Killanin and Duignan 1962, 408 (incorrectly assigned to Carrowveagh, recte Carrowreagh, townland); Killanin and Duignan 1967, 412 (incorrectly assigned to Carrowreagh townland); Ó Nualláin 1983a, 29, no. 45; SMR 1987, 28:1; Ó Nualláin 1989, 117; RMP 1995, 28:1. 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 See linked document with details from Eamon Cody, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume VI. County Donegal. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002)