Proleek

Proleek is suituated about four miles from Dundalk. To reach the big stone you have to travel over some fields before you arrive at the spot. There are three massive horizontal stones in shape on which the big stone rests which weighs a few tons. Not far away from the stone is the giant's grave.
The people of the district tell us, that if you can place three stones without falling on top of the big stone you will be married inside a year. Old people warn us to clear out of the place before 6'oclock or wee people will carry you away for ever.
It is said to be a great meeting place of the fairies. The old people tell us that they have often seen the small red man.

This is an outstanding monument in the district. In consists of three upright stones about eight feet in height supporting an enormous boulder of about 50 tons. It is locally called the giant's load and it is said the giant who put it up got his death of drinking of waters from the river these being poisoned by an enemy. Others say it is a monument over some mighty chieftain of old, but in truth little is known about its origin.

Giant's grave.
About 100 yards from the cromlech is an enclosure in the shape of a grave. It is locally called the "giant's grave" meaning of course that the giant who met his death as the result of the poisoned waters lies in it.

This massy Stone measuring 12 Feet one way and 6 another, which must from the specifick Gravity of like Solids, weigh betwixt 30 and 40 Ton-weight; by the Inhabitants of the Country is called the Giant's Load, and the Native Irish tell a strange Story about it, relating how the whole was brought all at once from the neighbouring Mountains, by a Giant called Parrah bough McShagjean,and who they say was buried near this Place.

The Grave or Cell of Stone-work they shew for it is about 20 Feet long and 5 Broad, and several Bones of a monstrous Size they affirm to have been dug up there.

[The legend] is recorded in the Ordnance Survey Letters of Co. Louth. The names of the two humble, painstaking scholars who noted it down should be mentioned. They are T. O'Conor and J. O'Keeffe, to whom the antiquarian work in Co. Louth was entrusted. Their letter, dealing with the Parish of Ballymascanlan, contains the following:-

"In Proleek T. L. (*Prailic) is a Giant's grave 7 yards long, 2 1/2 yds. broad at the shoulders, and 1 1/2 yds. at the feet. The head points to the S. and the feet to the N. Large stones fixed in the ground defend the grave on every side; there is one large stone across the feet which
--"scarce ten men could raise,
Such men as live in these degen'rate days."

They say it is the grave of (*Para burde mor Mac Seordin), a Scotch giant, who came to challenge Fin Mac Coole, and of whom they tell a story similar to the story of Feardhiadh. Para buidhe mor asked Fin's wife where he (Fin) used to eat; Fin, she told him, when he was hungry would kill one of those bullocks (pointing to them), roast him and eat him. Para went and did the same; the spot on which he killed, roasted, and ate the bullock, is pointed out yet; it is a hollow in a green field a little to the South of the grave. When he had eaten he went to the river which runs near the spot, to satisfy his thirst; but Fin threw the poison into the river, by which means he despatched him.

A little to the North of the grave there is a large stone computed by the people to be 60 tons weight, supported on three smaller rude stones. It is in some places 6 ft. from the ground, in others 8 ft., and it is said to have been fixed by Fionn Mac Cumhail and Para buidhe mor Mhac Seoidin."

The small stones seen in the illustration on the top of Proleek Cromlech have been thrown up there in obedience to a curious belief. Young unmarried people, chiefly of the fair sex, throw up three stones on the cromlech in order to find out if they will get married within a year. Owing to the rounded back of the cromlech it is very difficult to fix a stone on the top, but if the consultor of this oracle succeeds in placing the three stones on the top he or she is almost certain of marriage; one or two placed above denotes a probability, while if all the stones fall the chances are nil.

(From a very interesting Manuscript Volume of Tours by Thomas Stringer, Esq. M.D. of Shrewsbury)
On the lands of Ballymac Scanlan, in the county of Louth, is a large Rath, and on it a great stone, having in the centre a cross with four smaller ones. About thirty yards from the Rath is an entrance into a cave, running under the Rath, but it has not been explored. Tradition calls this the tomb of McScanlan. At the same place are three great pillars supporting a ponderous impost: this was the pensile monument of the northerns. It was called the Giant's Load, being brought altogether from a neighbouring mountain, by a Giant, according to tradition.