Dermot and Gráinne's Bed — Creeveoughter

This tomb is on a S-facing hillslope in arable land 1.6km W of Lough Swilly and commands an extensive view eastward across the lough. Knockalla Mountain, just over 2km away, limits the outlook to the N and W. The monument is greatly ruined. Three orthostats, the long axis of each aligned ENE-WSW, are in situ. The northernmost of these is 0.7m NW of, and the southernmost one 0.4m SW of, the third one, which lies between and slightly in front of the others. Another stone leans southward against the western end of this and may also be in situ. Two large displaced slabs lie at the southern end of the structure, and there is a stone, 0.7m in maximum dimension, beside the northern orthostat. The stones stand in a low, grass-grown, stony mound, not more than 0.5m high, measuring 7m NW-SE by 5.2m NE-SW. The site has been used as a dump for field stones. The set stone at the N end of the monument is 0.8m high. The orthostat set slightly in front of the other two is 0.35m high. The slab leaning against the W end of this is 2.25m long and 0.4m thick and, if upright, would stand 0.6m high. The orthostat at the S, partly concealed by a displaced slab leaning on its western end, is 0.45m high. The displaced slab measures 1.6m by 1.4m and is 0.2m thick. The second displaced slab here adjoins the last at the SE and measures 2.1m by 1.9m by 0.25m thick. The scant remains may represent two sides of a chamber or gallery with an outer-wall stone to one side (Ó Nualláin 1983a). However, in its present condition the monument must remain unclassified. According to the OS Memoirs (1834), the monument was then 'in ruins' and in the process of being broken up to provide material for road-building. OS Memoirs, Killygarvan parish (1834), 21; Kinahan 1889, 279; Borlase 1897, 231, Kilmacrenan no. 8; Somerville 1909, 201-2 (incorrectly stated to be in Inniskil townland); Killanin and Duignan 1962, 408; Killanin and Duignan 1967, 412; Ó Nualláin 1983a, 41, no. 101; SMR 1987, 28:7; Ó Nualláin 1989, 142; RMP 1995, 28:7. 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)