Giant's Grave Wedge Tomb — Ballymagrorty Scotch

This tomb is 1.2km SW of Ballintra village and stands on level pasture among low drumlin hills. Toward the W, between two hills, there is a view of the sea, 3.5km distant. The monument is considerably ruined. No gallery structure is visible, but it may lie concealed under grass-grown fill that occupies the western two-thirds of the gallery area. The eastern end of the structure has been dug to a depth of 0.8m. This may be the pit noted by Thomas Fagan (1845-8) when he visited the site in 1847. He recorded that barley-malting operations had been carried out at the site for a considerable period. A row of six stones at the S seems to represent a line of outer-walling, 6.8m long. Three stones of the outer walling at the N survive: two to the W, one largely hidden, and the third midway along the structure. At the W, between the outer walls, there are two opposed jamb-like stones, 0.55m apart. A displaced slab protrudes from the fill at the NW corner of the structure. It is at least 1.6m long and 0.6m thick. There is another displaced slab, partly buried, midway along the structure. This is 0.3m thick and at least 0.7m long. A low grass-grown mound, not more than 0.5m high, survives beyond the N side and, less impressively, beyond the E end of the structure. Its overall dimensions are 10.4m N-S and 9m E-W. The outer wall at the S bulges slightly at mid-length. The heights of six stones in this wall from W to E are l.1m, 0.8m, 0.9m, 1m and 1.15m, while the stone at the E end rises 0.1m above the top of the last. The heights of the three outer wall stones at the N from W to E are 0.5m, 0.35m and 0.7m. The two opposed jamb-like stones are 0.5m high. Although they are quite ruined, the best interpretation of the remains seems to be that offered above. The gallery, orientated WNW-ESE, appears to have been c. 4m long. Fagan 1845-8, book 15, 10; Anon. 1951, 345; Killanin and Duignan 1962, 78; Killanin and Duignan 1967, 89; Ó Nualláin 1983a, 39, no. 91 (plan); SMR 1987, 103:14; Killanin and Duignan 1989, 59; Ó Nualláin 1989, 136; RMP 1995, 103:14. 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