Dermot and Grania's Bed — Drumanoo

This monument, 450m from the western shore of the outer end of Killybegs Harbour, stands on a knoll in rough hilly country and commands an extensive outlook across Donegal Bay. There are frequent occurrences of outcropping rock in the immediate vicinity. The monument consists of a gallery, 5m in overall length, facing ENE. A low stone, 0.4m in front of the N side of the gallery entrance, seems to be a courtstone. An upright stone, 0.3m beyond the S side of the gallery, does not appear to be in situ, and the status of a set stone 2.6m N of the gallery is unclear, although it may be a kerbstone. A fence has been built close to the S side and front of the gallery. It is possible that some of the large slabs in this fence originally formed part of the monument. There are faint traces of mound to the N and W of the gallery, but these are too indefinite for accurate survey. The single courtstone is 0.2m high. The top of it seems chipped, and it may have been taller. The entrance to the gallery is between two jambs set 0.45m apart. The northern is set longitudinally inside the gallery wall and leans inward. It is 0.8m high and may originally have been taller. The southern one, set transversely, is partly overlapped by the gallery side. This stone is 1.2m high. Two orthostats form each side of the gallery, which reaches a maximum internal width of c. 2.3m at mid-length, from where it narrows to 1.5m at either end. The outer of the two orthostats at the N side is 1.4m in maximum height. The outwardly bevelled top of this stone presents a suitably inclined surface on which to lay corbels. There is a gap of 0.8m between this and the second orthostat here, which is 0.55m high at its outer face. The outer orthostat at the opposite side of the gallery is 0.85m high. Its top is 0.35m lower than that of the adjacent entrance jamb. The second orthostat oh this side leans inward slightly and is 0.8m high at its outer face. The gallery is closed by a tall, inset, gabled backstone, 1.2m high, which leans inward slightly. The slab outside the S side of the gallery is 1.7m long, 0.45m thick and 0.75m high. The stone beyond its N side is 1.4m long, 0.45m thick and 0.35m high. Thomas Fagan (1845-8) visited this monument in 1847, and it is clear from his account that it was then much as it is now. However, he did note an additional upright stone. This stood 9 feet (c. 2.75m) from the SE angle of the gallery and was 4 feet (c. 1.2m) broad, 10 inches (c. 0.25m) thick and 5 feet (c. 1.5m) high. This may have been a courtstone. According to Borlase (1897, 250), a stone 7 feet (c. 2.15m) long lay 'a few feet' NW of the monument, and another, 4 feet (c. 1.2m) long, lay to the SE. The employment of two well-matched pairs of opposed orthostats in the construction of this gallery suggests that it may have been divided into two chambers. Fagan 1845-8, book 19, 25; OS Revision Name Book, sheet 97 (1847-9), 64; Stephens 1872, 119-21; Doherty 1891, 157; Borlase 1897, 249-50, Banagh no. 21 (incorrectly assigned to the adjoining townland of Roshin); McNelis 1952, 432 ('Drimanoo'); Crozier 1957, 70; de Valera 1960, 110, DG. 27; Conaghan 1974, 14-15; P.J. McGill 1974, 56; Ó Nualláin 1983a, 20, no. 21 (plan); SMR 1987, 97:33; Killanin and Duignan 1989, 223; Ó Nualláin 1989, 117; RMP 1995, 97:33. 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)