Eastern Málainn Mhóir Court Tomb

This monument, not shown on any edition of the OS 6-inch map, is the easternmost of the seven tombs (Dg. 90-96) in the valley opening onto Malin Bay. It stands in boggy pasture at the head of the valley, c. 800m SE of the last described (Dg. 95). There is a good outlook from the site westward along the valley toward the sea, 3km away, and to the S is another view of the sea. Leahan Mountain restricts the view to the SW. The remains of an E-facing gallery of at least two chambers survive here. At the W end, or back, of the gallery is a narrow chamber, and in front of this are the remnants of a larger one. Approximately 3.5m E of this is a single orthostat of uncertain function. This is 1.25m long, 0.35m thick and 0.5m high. Between it and the larger of the two chambers is a round stone-built structure, 3.3m in overall diameter. This may be the remains of a limekiln shown at or near this spot on the 1848-50 edition of the OS 6-inch map. Only its lower levels now remain. A large slab, 1.3m in maximum dimension, incorporated in the N side of this may be a displaced orthostat. At the eastern edge of this structure and extending to the NE are at least six displaced slabs. These range from 0.8m to 1.75m in maximum dimension and from 0.3m to 0.4m thick. Approximately 2.5m E of the S end of the ruined structure is a line of five stones, 3.3m long, rising 0.2-0.5m above the boggy surface. These are up to 0.7m long and 0.4m thick. They seem firmly set, but their status is unclear. Only three orthostats remain of the larger chamber. Its outer end is marked by a stone set transversely to the long axis of the gallery, which seems to be a jamb. This is 0.75m high. Approximately 0.6m to the SE is a low stone that rises 0.3m above the boggy surface. It is firmly set, but its status is uncertain. Two opposed sidestones mark the inner end of the chamber and converge toward the W to meet the transversely set segmenting jambs that mark the division between it and the small rear chamber. The northern sidestone, which leans inward, is 0.7m high. The southern is around the same height, but only its upper 0.35m is exposed. This chamber was c. 2.5m long. The segmenting jambs are well matched and stand 0.35m apart. Both are 0.6m high. A lintel, 1.6m by 0.7m and 0.5m thick, rests on both jambs and on the sides of the inner chamber. Originally it may have rested only on the jambs. The rear chamber is 2m long and narrows from 1.3m at the front to 0.95m or less at the back. It seems to have been noticeably narrower than the other chamber. The sides are represented by single orthostats. Both are 0.7m high. The low gabled backstone, set inside the end of the northern sidestone, is 0.6m high. The monument appears to have been in its present state in the 1840s (Fagan 1845-8). The original design is not now clear, but if the orthostat to the E can be relied on it appears that the gallery was c. 10m or more in length. It seems that the disturbed and scattered nature of the remains accounts for Norman Moore's (1872) claim, later quoted by Borlase (1897), that there is a group of 'five or six cromlechs' at this location. Fagan 1845-8, book 20, 1-2; N. Moore 1872, 523-4 (This, which is the group furthest from the sea, is of five or six cromlechs, but only one is in good preservation'); Borlase 1897, 249, under Banagh nos. 9-20 (quotes Moore); de Valera 1960, 108, DG. 20; Killanin and Duignan 1962, 290; Killanin and Duignan 1967, 292; Herity 1971, 31, no. 37; Ó Nualláin 1983a, 26, no. 38; SMR 1987, 89:13; Ó Nualláin 1989, 117; Herity 1990, 44, no. 35; RMP 1995, 89:13. 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)