Carhy Graves — An Bearnas Íochtarach

This monument is on sloping pasture toward the head of the valley of the Carnowen River and is c. 150m W of the rocky slope of Binnadoo Hill. The monument, greatly ruined and considerably overgrown, is difficult to interpret. A cairn of sub-oval outline measuring 27.5m NNE-SSW and 12m ESE-WNW survives. Some stones on the cairn, notably at its northern end, appear to have been dumped there in relatively recent times. In its present condition the cairn attains a maximum height of c. 1.5m midway between its northern and southern extremities. The limekiln shown beside the monument on the 1848 OS 6-inch map is not now apparent. According to Fagan (1845-8), the remains covered an area measuring 20 yards (c. 18m) by 12 yards (c. 11m) and seemed to have been enclosed by stones on edge, 2 feet to 41/2 feet (c. 0.6-1.4m) high. Within the mound and toward its northern end are the remains of a narrow gallery running roughly E-W. The S side of this is represented by a line of four slabs, and the N side by two stones 4.6m apart. A gable-shaped stone standing at the W end of the gallery is probably a backstone. A set stone, 0.5m high, roughly parallel to the gallery, stands l.1m N of its E end. Another stone, 0.5m high, stands 1.7m to the S of the E end of the gallery and at right angles to it. Approximately 0.6m NE of this is a partly concealed stone at least 0.7m long and 0.15m thick. Its status is unclear, but it may originally have stood upright here. Approximately 2m E of the front of the presumed gallery is a displaced stone, 0.9m in maximum dimension, at the edge of the cairn. Approximately 3m S of the gallery and parallel to it is a line of slabs pitched to the S. This seems to have retained the cairn stones between itself and the gallery. The cairn level to the N of this line is 0.5-0.75m higher than that to the S. Running southward from the E end of the kerb-like feature just described is a line of stones, some of which are clearly set. The gallery is 7m long. The two opposed stones at its E end stand 1m apart and could be interpreted as longitudinally set jambs. Both lean inward somewhat and would stand 0.9m high if upright. The second orthostat on the S side is a large stone, l.1m high, and is set slightly outside the line of the first. The third, set outside the line of the second, is 0.6m high. The fourth is set inside the line of the third and is 0.3m taller. There is a gap of 1.6m between this and the likely backstone, which is 1.15m high. The second orthostat on the N side adjoins the backstone. It is pitched toward the S and, if upright, would stand 0.9m high. Approximately 1.5m E of this the comer of what appears to be a large prostrate slab protrudes just above the surface. The stones of the kerb-like feature are all pitched southward, and two of them now lie flat. The easternmost of the stones here is 1m long and would stand 0.6m high if upright. Above the W end of this and overlying the next two, which lie flat, is a slab 1.8m long. This would stand 0.4m high if upright and seems to have stood inside the line of the others. The two stones underlying it are 0.55m and 1.3m long. The stone at the W end of this line is 2.3m long and would stand 0.7m high if upright. There is a gap of 0.6m between the E end of the kerb-like feature and the line of stones to the S of it, which is c. 4.5m long. The northernmost stone here is partly buried; it measures at least 0.5m in maximum dimension and may be displaced. Immediately S of this is a set stone c. 0.9m high, aligned E-W. Its function is not apparent. Just over 3m S of this stone is another set stone, also aligned E-W, which is 0.85m high. Just 0.4m beyond the E end of this is another set stone at right angles to it, 0.5m high. Both of these stones appear to be structural, but their roles are not apparent. Between these two set stones and the first there is a line of three stones, the largest 1.2m in maximum dimension, all of which seem to be loose. These rise approximately 0.5m above ground level. Fagan (1845-8) recorded the presence of two 'graves' at the site and claimed that there had originally been more. Both, he claimed, lay E-W and were constructed with large slabs set on edge. One he described as 22 feet (c. 6.5m) long and 3 feet (c. 0.9m) to 8 feet (c. 2.4m) wide, and the other as 8 feet (c. 2.4m) long and 41/2 feet (c. 1.4m) wide. The gallery here, with opposed jambs at one end and a likely gabled backstone at the other end, may be of court tomb type. However, further investigation would be required to determine its true nature. The role of the additional structure at the site also remains uncertain, and the monument remains unclassified. Fagan 1845-8, book 5, 4; Kinahan 1889, 280; Borlase 1897, 232, Kilmacrenan nos. 11, 12, 13; de Valera 1960, 134, no. 23; Ó Nualláin 1983a, 44, no. 118; SMR 1987, 35:6; Ó Nualláin 1989, 142; RMP 1995, 35:6. 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)