Giants Grave — Gortakeeran

On top of a ridge in rolling drumlin-like country. A well-preserved gallery (L 8.9m), flanked at both sides by the remains of outer-walling, opens onto a flat facade at the W. The front of the monument is incorporated in a field fence. The gallery is divided by a septal-stone into a portico (L 1.6m; Wth 1.4m) and main chamber (L 7m; Wth 1.7m at septal-stone, 1m near the backstone). Single stones form the sides of the portico and each articulates with a facade-stone. A stone stands in the gap between the facade-stones thus dividing the gallery entrance. Eight stones are in position on the N side of the main chamber and six on the S side and these display a general decrease in height from W to E. A roofstone covers the portico and another the rear of the gallery. Between these three others lie displaced along the gallery. A line of three outer-wall stones (the middle one fallen outwards) adjoins the northern facade-stone and a lone outer-wall stone remains on the opposite side of the structure about 1m beyond the front of the main chamber. Outside this there is a displaced slab and there is another outside the N side of the gallery. There is an unclassified megalithic tomb (SL025-009----) c. 300m to SE. (Ó Nualláin 1989, 55-6, no. 87) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008 See linked document with details from Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume V. County Sligo. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1989)