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County Armagh: Latest Posts |
Previous 10 | Showing 11-20 of 87 posts. Most recent first | Next 10 
Callaigh Berra's House (Passage Grave) — Images (click to view fullsize) |
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Posted by GLADMAN23rd July 2010ce |
Ballykeel (Portal Tomb) — Images |
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Posted by GLADMAN 15th July 2010ce |
Clontygora - Court Tomb — Fieldnotes |
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Truly a site for a King. Nearby Fathom Hill (Flagstaff) is a superb vantage point looking for miles over the Lough and the Mourne mountains There has been recent new building - conversions - nearby and it is possible to imagine the abundant new dry stone walling repositioned as the cairn stones they possibly were. Impressive monument and well kept. Lots more under the ground to stimulate the imagination |
Posted by greybeard 1st July 2010ce |
Annaghmare (Court Tomb) — Images |
 
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Posted by GLADMAN 9th May 2010ce |
Annaghmare (Court Tomb) — Fieldnotes |
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The area around the staunchly Republican South Armagh town of Crossmaglen, prosaically dubbed 'Bandit Country' by British soldiers during the Anglo-Irish troubles, was found to emanate a quite intimidating aura by this somewhat wide-eyed, head down traveller in search of megalithic treasures. Not so Mr Cope, who - if the legend is true - once brazenly drove through town sporting his enormous Luftwaffe cap. Mind you, there were what appeared to be 20mm cannon shell holes penetrating several road signs at the time of my visit, so please don't be too harsh on me..... From Crossmaglen head north on the B135 towards Cullyhanna, the trick being to pick up Annaghmare Road going left at some crossroads, then proceeding just under 1 mile down this road to locate a minor access track on the right. More difficult than it sounds, since clearly several promised signposts had been removed. Park at the end of the access track and there it is, the superbly preserved court tomb standing before you upon - or perhaps more accurately, engulfing - a small knoll backed by woodland. Seeming only lacking capstones, the tomb possesses a fine facade of large orthostats either side of a central galley, this being aligned approx north/south and consisting of three linear chambers. Beyond, at the far (northern) end of the cairn, lie two lateral chambers, apparently later insertions, the cairn being therefore extended to accommodate them. The quality of construction is excellent, with high quality dry stone courses being utilised to fill the spaces between orthostats. Both forecourt and entrance were apparently sealed sometime between c3100 and 2,800 BC, radio carbon dates in this range being obtained from charcoal found behind the blocking material. And there's more... According to Carleton Jones (Temples of Stone) the relative positioning of the facade stones may well have represented an attempt to embody male/female symbolism within the structure. Specifically, the 3rd orthostat to the right of the gallery entrance is the largest of the entire tomb, potentially suggesting 'masculinity', whilst the 4th to the left is, bizarrely, set upon its narrower end as if to represent a 'top-heavy' female shape. This would certainly explain what is otherwise a very structurally unsound, not to mention difficult to achieve, architectural arrangement. Not quite 'Page 3', I grant you, but infinitely more 'tasteful', I'd have thought? Annaghmare is thus a complex, damn interesting monument and... once a hovering army helicopter decides to bugger off.... possesses a great vibe within its woodland setting. I loved it and left South Armagh a little wiser in more ways than one. |
Posted by GLADMAN 23rd March 2010ce Edited 24th March 2010ce |
Callaigh Berra's House (Passage Grave) — Fieldnotes |
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The day dawns with perhaps as blue a sky as I ever thought possible in Northern Ireland. Certainly the weather is in distinct, sharp contrast to that which accompanied my first attempt to ascend Slieve Gullion a week before, that attempt aborted before even leaving the car due to a very low cloud base. In retrospect I'm glad I didn't push my luck, although I admit it would have probably been easier, yet undeniably foolhardy to carry on with such a prize waiting at the summit. Slieve Gullion, at 1,894ft (573m) is the highest point in South Armagh and focal point of a vast ampitheatre of volcanic hills encircling the border town of Newry known as 'The Ring of Gullion'. Newry, infamous within the context of recent Anglo-Irish relations, is, on a happier note, the birthplace of the great Arsenal/Tottenham goalkeeper Pat Jennings. Reaching much further back into the mists of time, legendary Irish heroes such as Cuchulain, Fionn MacCumhail and the Red Branch are closely linked with this fine little mountain. Those megalithically inclined - or even simply looking for a majestic view - are helped by a well maintained, well signposted 'Slieve Gullion Forest Drive', itself offering panoramic views, which can be followed to a car-park on the western shoulder of the peak. Here, a steep path heads eastwards towards the southern summit.... apparently there was a sign, but it keeps getting periodically, er, removed by persons unknown, so please make sure valuables etc are locked away out of sight. The terrain consists of springy peat, although erosion has made the path steep in places. Nevertheless the trek should not be overly taxing, the retrospective views over the surrounding countryside stunning and ample compensation for any flagging limbs. Then, upon reaching the top, there's the magnificent passage grave crowning the summit, one of the highest 'opened' examples in Ireland. Although not quite in the same class as the Seefin cairn upon the Wicklows (it being much more accessible and thus bearing a little unsightly grafitti - but, hey, so does Maes Howe, albeit Viking!) it remains an outstanding example of this type of monument. The traveller is required to stoop in order to traverse the low entrance passage, the flanks of which are comprised of very large slabs, and emerge into the tall central chamber within the massive cairn. This is octagonal with a rear recess lined with orthostats, the interior illuminated with a stream of sunlight from a grilled sylight in the roof. Interestingly the aforementioned recess appears to contain a bowl-like receptacle similar to that within the great tomb at Newgrange. I stay within the cool of the interior for a considerable time before finally emerging to take in the views; the Cooley Peninsular and sea to the south east, the Mountains of Mourne across Carlingford Lough to the east and, to the north beyond Callaigh Berra's Lough, the northern summit of Slieve Gullion bearing another, although chamberless cairn. Sadly, however, I've spent so much time inside that I must now begin the descent... Incidentally it would appear that 'Callaigh Berra' is a reference to the 'hag' incarnation of the Mother Goddess trinity. According to legend, the giant Finn Macool (him again) was persuaded by Callaigh Berra to take a dip within the lough only to be transformed into a grey haired old man. It seems he managed to get his youth back (ha!) but was nevertheless left with the dodgy peroxide barnet. Because he was 'worth it', probably. A lesson to us all. |
Posted by GLADMAN 23rd March 2010ce Edited 24th March 2010ce |
Clontygora - Court Tomb — Folklore |
The whole is left intact by the nature of its surroundings. The interior of the chamber is filled with small field stones, and no means are left to examine it; but I understand that tradition tells of "curious things" being got in the inside at one time.The writer simultaneously is pleased by the protection three walls meeting at the tomb have provided, yet is desperate to have all the stones removed so its "goodly appearance" can once more be seen. It's obviously all tidied up now though. Over tidied one suspects? From a piece by Thomas Hall (with pre-tidied photos) in the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 5th series, v24, no.1 (1904). |
Posted by Rhiannon28th February 2010ce |
Emain Macha (Henge) — Links |
Emain Macha, Irish 'Royal Sites' and UNESCO |
Posted by Littlestone22nd November 2009ce |
Clontygora - Court Tomb — Images |
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Posted by CianMcLiam12th December 2007ce |
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