Magheraghanrush Court Tomb

Magheraghanrush Court Tomb is a court cairn and National Monument located in County Sligo, Ireland.[2] [3][4][5]

Magheraghanrush Court Tomb
Native name
Irish: Tuama Cúirte Mhachaire Chon Rois
Deerpark Court Tomb
Typecourt cairn
LocationMagheraghanrush, Sligo,
County Sligo, Ireland
Coordinates54.279326°N 8.381069°W / 54.279326; -8.381069
Elevation137 m (449 ft)
Builtc. 3000 BC
Magheraghanrush Court Tomb is located in Ireland
Magheraghanrush Court Tomb
Location of Magheraghanrush Court Tomb in Ireland
Official nameMagheraghanrush or Deerpark
Reference no.377[1]

Location

Magheraghanrush Court Tomb is located 6 km (3.7 mi) east of Sligo town.[6]

History

Magheraghanrush Court Tomb was built c. 3000 BC. It may have first been a simple construction with U-shaped court; the east part was added later.

Local legend has it as a Giant's Grave or Druid's Altar, or the burial site of Eógan Bél (d. AD 542), King of Connacht, although the Middle Irish poem Caithréim Cellaig says he was buried on Knocknarea and reburied on an island in Lough Gill.

Animal and human bones were discovered on the site as well as a flint flake.[7]

Description

The tomb is very large, 30 m (100 ft) long. The court is oval and located in the centre with two chambers at one end and a single chamber at the other, giving it the appearance of a man from above. The central court is not a perfect oval but is crooked in the middle, indicating that there was originally one court cairn which was then added to. Some of the uprights had lintels, giving it the name of "the Irish Stonehenge."[8][9]

References
  1. "National Monuments of County Sligo in State Care" (PDF). heritageireland.ie. National Monument Service. p. 2. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  2. "Magheraghanrush (Sligo) : Wedge Tomb : Visit notes". Megalithomania.net. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  3. "Irish Archaeology on Twitter". Twitter.
  4. "Magheraghanrush/Deerpark, Court Tomb, Co. Sligo". Flickr. 29 January 2011.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Moore, Sam (1 January 1998). "Archaeology in County Sligo". FAS Community Services Unit – via Google Books.
  7. "Magheraghanrush – Deerpark Court Tomb, County Sligo". Directionireland.com.
  8. Weir, Anthony. "Magheraghanrush". Irishmegaliths.org.uk.
  9. Lehane, Brendan (2001). The Companion Guide to Ireland. Companion Guides. ISBN 978-1900639347 – via Google Books.
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