Poulnabrone Portal Tomb, Clare

Poulnabrone

Portal Tomb

Poulnabrone portal tomb is one of the most photographed megalithic monuments in Ireland, mainly due to its superb sculptured form and easy access from the road. During the summer months there is a constant trail of people going to and from the dolmen. The day I took these pictures was quite grey, which kept many tourists away. The site was excavated in 1986 and produced the human remains of 16 adults and children plus other artefacts, these dated the tomb to around 3600 BC.

Poulnabrone Portal Tomb Poulnabrone portal tomb is one of the most photographed megalithic monuments in Ireland, mainly due to its superb sculptured form and easy access from the road. During the summer months there is a constant trail of people going to and from the dolmen. The day I took these pictures was quite grey, which kept many tourists away. The site was excavated in 1986 and produced the human remains of 16 adults and children plus other artefacts, these dated the tomb to around 3600 BC.

The entrance faces north and is almost 2 metres high, The thin capstone is tilted at the usual angle and measures about 3 1/2 metres long and 2 metres wide. Poulnabrone means ' the hole of the sorrows' There are many other interesting sites near Poulnabrone including the wedge tomb at Gleninsheen and Baur South and the stone fort at Caherconnell.
	Situated on karst limestone, east of the Ballyvaughan - Corrofin Road this portal tomb is one of Irelands more accessable megalithic structures. Since my first visit, the dolmen has become Irelands first state owned megalith. Discovery Map 51: 2355 0038. Last visit May 2009 Longitude: 9° 8' 24" W Latitude: 53° 2' 55" N Google Map Photos: Jim Dempsey.