Garran Portal Tomb, Monaghan

Garran

Portal Tomb

This is one of just two remaining portal tombs in County Monaghan, the other is at Lennan. The monument consists of two portal stones, a back stone, four side-stones, two on each side, and a huge capstone. The rectangular chamber is two metres long and is a metre in width. In the image below we are looking straight into the chamber, the orthostat in the foreground is the east portal stone, you can see from this image that the west portal has split in two. As with most portal tombs the capstone has slipped of the portal stones. The capstone has split into two pieces horizontally and now rests on one of the eastern side stones. It seems almost impossible this huge capstone once sat on the top of this chamber, but it is a really excellent example of this type of megalithic tomb. The portal tomb at Carrickglass in County Sligo instantly sprang to mind, it is an even better example complete with a door-stone in situ.

The portal tomb stands in the eastern corner of a large field immediately behind a farmhouse, just off the R189. The landowner has built a small retaining wall around the monument. There are over fifty megalithic tombs in county Monaghan at least twenty four of them are unclassified.

Garran Portal Tomb This is one of just two remaining portal tombs in County Monaghan, the other is at Lennan. The monument consists of two portal stones, a back stone, four side-stones, two on each side, and a huge capstone. The rectangular chamber is two metres long and is a metre in width. In the image below we are looking straight into the chamber, the orthostat in the foreground is the east portal stone, you can see from this image that the west portal has split in two. As with most portal tombs the capstone has slipped of the portal stones. The capstone has split into two pieces horizontally and now rests on one of the eastern side stones. It seems almost impossible this huge capstone once sat on the top of this chamber, but it is a really excellent example of this type of megalithic tomb. The portal tomb at Carrickglass in County Sligo instantly sprang to mind, it is an even better example complete with a door-stone in situ. The portal tomb stands in the eastern corner of a large field immediately behind a farmhouse, just off the R189. The landowner has built a small retaining wall around the monument. There are over fifty megalithic tombs in county Monaghan at least twenty four of them are unclassified.
Viewed from the west	Looking NNW from the chamber
Situated: From Newbliss head north-east on the R189 towards Monaghan Town. After about 4.3 kilometres there should be a farmhouse on your left, set back between farm buildings. Please ask here for permission to visit. Discovery Map 35: H 5967 2581. Last visit April 2021. Longitude: 7° 05' 12.3" W Latitude: 54° 10' 40.7" N Google Map. Photos: José Gutiérrez.