Duntryleague Passage Tomb

Duntryleague Passage-tomb near Galbally, Co. Limerick. I always seem to think this is in Tipperary, probably because the view to the east is of the Galtees and the "Harps of Cliu" and because it is on the same ridge of mountain that forms the Glen of Aherlow where Tipperary's only confirmed passage tomb is located (Shrough). This passage tomb is unusual in that it is aligned towards the north. It is located within a forestry plantation that with every new picture I see, seems to be growing taller and taller. I first visited in 2006 when the trees had last been harvested and here are some pictures from this visit. I suppose you could argue that this is  the essence of antiquarianism, visiting monuments and preserving photos and sketches (or whatever) of them before time, nature or human action change them.

I found some wonderful folklore on duchas.ie about the tomb, also known as Darby's Bed. Much of the action in this story takes place in Co. Tipperary and initially when I saw sunset mentioned, I thought that it might have had some hidden astronomical meaning. However (as above) the passage in Darby's Bed is aligned to the north. Interestingly there is a wedge tomb at Corderry that is almost exactly 3 miles away and a passage tomb at Shrough that is almost 4 miles away.

"A long, long time ago there lived a fierce black pig on the Sliab na Muc Hills. This pig was the terror of the neighbourhood and nobody would dream of roaming on the hilltops for fear of meeting with this terrible beast. It happened that one day a great giant called Diarmuid chanced to come across the pig at a point or peak on those hills called Corrin (Cairn). The pig in its rage started rooting up the ground and continued doing so until it had made a huge deep hole. This hole is still to be seen and for years everybody that passed it by threw a stone into it, why I cannot say.
The giant then attacked the pig put could not kill it. The battle raged for hours and towards sunset they found themselves 3 or 4 miles further east at a place called Rathdarby. The giant here made a last attempt with his spear to kill the pig but he missed his
thrust only to find the pig taking a sudden hold of him on the ground. It then seized the giant by the throat and killed him. He was buried on the spot where today three large stones mark the site of his grave. This grave is on Mr. T. Kennedys land Rathdarby, a few miles from here.
All the old people called the valley lying south of the Sliab na Muc Hills the "Valley of the Black Pig"."

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922302/4868451/5053713

Aerial View by Aircam Ireland

The Lost Tombs of North Tipp

There are currently 14 intact megalithic tombs recorded in North Tipp. Eleven wedge-tombs, two portal-tombs & one court-tomb. There are also records of megalithic structures (possible tombs that don't conform to any of the above types) and there are three of those recorded.

However there are also records of a number of tombs that are unfortunately destroyed or missing.

Cooleen

The first one we will look at was at Cooleen. It was recorded in 1969 by O'Nuallain & De Valera and a photograph was even taken of it.

From Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland : Vol IV by Ruaidhrí De Valera & Sean O Nuaillain  

Although heavily overgrown at the time it was clearly an impressive tomb with a gallery that was 6 m long. By 1972 it was being used as a dumping ground for other large stones from the surrounding area. In 1969 De Valera & O'Nuaillain even drew a plan of the tomb.

From Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland : Vol IV by Ruaidhrí De Valera & Sean O Nuaillain 

However after 1972 it was unfortunately removed and archaeology.ie comments that "Some of the large stones lying in a nearby fence may have formed part of the structure". 

Reardnogy More

It was recorded by Crawford in "Dolmens of Tipperary" in 1910 as being partly destroyed but was unfortunately fully removed in 1956.

Crawford described it as follows:

"This monument is situated a short distance west of the last, in the fields behind the creamery. It is partly destroyed, only eight stones remaining in position. Two of the largest form the south side of a chamber now 8 feet long by 3 feet 3 inches wide. Two others form the north side, with a fifth outside ; and the last three are placed as an outer row to the south; all these are under 3 feet in height. Six stones are lying about loose; two of these, respectively 6 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 4 inches long, are large enough for covering slabs; the others are smaller".

There was also a now destroyed stone circle less than 300m to the north of it.

From Crawfords "Dolmens of Tipperary" (1910) RSAI

The other lost tombs are described as the aforementioned megalithic structures and all are in the Slieve Felim up lands. They are likely to be part of the "Kilcommon Group" which I wrote about here before.

Bauraglanna / Lackabrack

This was recorded as a Cromlech on the 1840s Os map and also in the OS name book as "a heap of stones covering about a square perch (c.5 m?) of ground." In 1906 it appears that Crawford (or someone he corresponded with) visited it as he gives a detailed description of it as follows:

"Borlase, No. 1 (under name of Knockanroe). This is a doubtful specimen, and situated in an unusual place, that is in the side of a glen or ravine. A large flat stone is buried in the bank, with one corner projecting, and this corner rests on a smaller stone ; nothing more can be seen. Bauraglanna is in the valley called Glenculloo, at the foot of the Keeper Mountain, a mile or more south of the village of Silver mines".

This tomb may also have been known as The Danes Bed.

Bauraglanna

Less than 0.5km away from the above, is the record of another structure. This time marked as "Dermot & Granias Bed (Site of)" on the 1840's OS maps.

It was described in the OS Name books as "a few large stones stuck in the ground in the form of a bed". 

Also within the townland of Bauraglanna is one of only two intact stone circles in North Tipp.

Baurnadomeeny

It was recorded in the OS Name books as consisting "of a few large stones placed erect on a hill". 

Interestingly the large wedge tomb at Baurnadomeeny is less the 500m to the east.

Reisk

Very little is known about this other than it being recorded as a "Cromlech" on the 1840s OS map. Like the other missing tombs it appears to have been located in the vicinity of another larger or more important monument - this time the destroyed stone circle in the same townland.

The remains of one enigmatic feature known as "The Graves of the Leinstermen" is also thought to be the remains of some type of megalithic tomb. It however was located in the Arra Mountains. For more on it see here.

There is no doubt that there are likely to be the remains of many more destroyed monuments out there to be found. As I have said before there are likely to still be intact tombs out there as well. If anyone knows of anything unusual that they suspect may be an unrecorded monument, please do contact myself or the National Monuments Service.