Portal tomb in Srath Bruithne Uachtarach

Situated on shoulder of SE-facing slope of rising ground in mountainous region in an area of cut-away bog with good views out to the valley and sea to the SE and higher ground to N and NW. Stone circle (DG096-029) located downslope 1.3km to SSW. Tomb, at least 2.6m long, is aligned NNE-SSW. It stands towards the NNE end of a stone cairn (10.8m NNE-SSW; 8.2m NNW-SSE; max. H 1.0m). The cairn has been partially robbed out presumably when the turf was being cut in this area. There is evidence of interference and rebuilding of part of the cairn on the W side, possibly to create some form of shelter. It is likely that the tomb was revealed in the 18th or 19th century when turf was being cut in this area. The front of the chamber consists of two portal stones flanking a sill-stone. The more westerly portal stone is 1.2m long, 0.25m thick and 1.15m high; the other, only the lower part of which survives, is 0.95m long, 0.65m high and 0.30m thick; the intervening sill-stone is 0.70m long, 0.20m in maximum height and 0.07m thick. The top of the sill-stone slopes down from the more easterly side of the chamber to the other, perhaps due to damage. The top of a packing stone is exposed at the inner face of the sill-stone. Each side of the chamber is formed by a single inward-leaning orthostat, one behind each portal stone. The more easterly is at least 1.50m long, at least 0.10m thick and is 0.60m high at the front whence it slopes to the rear. The more westerly stone is at least 1.40m long, 0.20m thick and 0.60m thick. This too slopes to the SSW or rear of the chamber. The two sidestones support a roofstone (at least 1.85m long, 0.15m thick and at least 1.10m wide). This roofstone covers the inner half of the chamber. A prostrate slab (1.70m by 1.15m by 0.20m thick) immediately NNE of the chamber appears to be a displaced roofstone that would have rested on the portal stones and the in-situ roofstone. The floor of the chamber, which floods in wet weather, is covered in stones displaced from the cairn. There is a definite reduction in the height of the tomb from the front or NNE end to the rear. The front of the in-situ roofstone is 0.60m above floor level at the front but dips almost to floor level at the rear. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: : 19 July 2010