A Survey of Monuments of Archaeological and Historical Interest in the Barony of Bunratty Lower, Co. Clare: Part 2: Chapter 10: Kilfinaghta Parish: Ballysheen Beg Townland: Site A: Dermot and Grania's Bed

Clare County Library

Clare Archaeology

A Survey of Monuments of Archaeological and Historical Interest in the Barony of Bunratty Lower, Co. Clare by William Gerrard Ryan

Part 2: Chapter 10: Kilfinaghta Parish: Ballysheen Beg Townland

Site A: “DERMOT AND GRANIA’S BED” (Site of?)

6” O.S. Sheet number :	52 (Co. Clare)
Reference :	13.8 cm West; 3.2 cm North
Height :	c. 120’ O.D.

Description of site:
As has already been noted by Prof. de Valera and Sean O’Nuallain in their “Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland”; Volume 1 – Co. Clare (1961, page 97) this “Site” has been destroyed and no field indications exist to give some information as to its former features. When did this destruction take place? Fortunately here we can quote an article by Westropp:-
“… Major Walton, of Ballysheen, informs me that it was a small boxlike cist. It was destroyed about 1852. It is shown by two small marks on some maps of the 1840 survey…” 1902, Page 104.

Field examination noted the presence of a great deal of outcrop in the vicinity of this former “feature”. I use the word feature because de Valera and O’Nuallain doubt if this was ever a true Megalithic. In their 1961 work they in fact classify this “site” under:-
“ Sites marked “Cromlech” etc. on O.S. maps which are not accepted as Megalithic tombs”. (Page 92, 1961).

REFERENCES TO THIS SUPPOSED SITE

Borlase, 1897,                         Pages 85-86.
Westropp, 1902,                      Page 104.
De Valera & O’Nuallain, 1961,   Page 97.

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