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Eire Knowth © IronMan Also known as: Republic of Ireland Airlann See individual sites for details News (8) Links (5) 67 discussion topics Start a topic Show  |  Hide Web searches for Eire Flickr Google Google Images Stone Pages Wikipedia

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News

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Newbuildings time team to excavate ancient Rath Londonderry Sentinel By Olga Bradshaw - 21st January 2009 MEMBERS of Newbuildings and District Archaeological and Historical Society are eagerly awaiting the results of a new survey scheduled to take place this week, to discover what lies beneath a rath which has been discovered in the village... continues... Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by moss 22nd January 2009ce

Grassy mounds our earliest breweries, claim archaeologists by Sarah Stack (Irish Examiner 11 August 2007) 'Bronze age Irish men were as fond of their beer as their 21st century counterparts, it was claimed yesterday. Two Galway archaeologists have put forward a theory that one of the most common ancient monuments around Ireland may have been used for brewing ale... continues... Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by gjrk 13th August 2007ce Edited 30th September 2008ce

Ireland not ruled out as Atlantis by museum Contrary to press reports in August, the National Museum of Ireland did not rule out that Ireland could have been Atlantis (Full text). The previous reports were apparently the result of quoting out of context. There is a new website for the theory now, AtlantisInIreland.com, which includes a blog and an invitation to a real time debate. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by odysseus 11th December 2004ce Edited 13th December 2004ce

Irish Times: Historic sites Bill likely to face legal challenge Daniel McConnell The Irish Times 17 June 2004 Opponents of newly-published legislation, which will give the Government power to proceed with road projects which interfere with national monuments after archaeological works are carried out, have threatened to challenge the legislation in the courts... continues... Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by otuathail3 19th June 2004ce Edited 22nd June 2004ce

Irish Independent: 'Ill-conceived' bill threatens heritage sites Irish Independent 17.06.04 Save Tara! IMPORTANT archaeological sites, including Ireland's oldest Viking settlement, will be threatened if the Government's proposed amendment to the National Monuments Bill is passed, heritage activists said yesterday... continues... Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by otuathail3 19th June 2004ce Edited 12th April 2006ce

Irish Examiner: Cullen 'failing to protect heritage sites' Irish Examiner 17/06/04 By Jim Morahan HERITAGE groups yesterday accused Environment Minister Martin Cullen of failing to protect national monuments... continues... Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by otuathail3 19th June 2004ce Edited 22nd June 2004ce

Labour describes Monuments Bill as 'official vandalism' TaraWatch Irish Times Marie O'Halloran 18.06.04 A Bill to allow for the completion of the M50 motorway at Carrickmines will legalise "official vandalism" of national monuments, the Labour Party's environment spokesman has claimed... continues... Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by otuathail3 19th June 2004ce Edited 12th April 2006ce

Monuments Bill 'legal vandalism' claims Labour Monuments Bill 'legal vandalism' claims Labour Irish Independent 18.06.04 continues... Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by otuathail3 19th June 2004ce Edited 12th April 2006ce

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A Road on the Long Ridge A Road on the Long Ridge - In search of an Ancient Highway on the Eiscar Riada by Hermann Geissel. This is a free pdf book based on the TG4 program about a journey on the Eiscar Riada or Sli Mor from Dublin to Galway. It is a great read and he also proposes that Early Christain sites were constructed beside the road for access etc. It could also be argued that perhaps some of these were based on early prehistoric sites and therefore sites were located near the road. It also has a section on Croghan Hill and it mentions the alignment of the Hill of Uisneach - Croghan Hill on Winter Solstice Sunrise. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by bawn79 19th June 2007ce Edited 19th June 2007ce

British Archaeology Article from November/December 2005: "Ireland's road network is experiencing an astonishing development, with sometimes controversial implications for the country's rich and largely unexplored rural heritage. Dàire O'Rourke, senior archaeologist at the National Roads Authority, says a new code means everyone will benefit." Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Rhiannon 3rd February 2006ce Edited 3rd February 2006ce

Megalithic Ireland as the inspiration for Plato's Atlantis News and discussion about the book Atlantis from a Geographer's Perspective: Mapping the Fairy Land, by Ulf Erlingsson. A short video presents some of the intriguing details from the book. The author considers that Plato's Atlantis was a utopia, but shows that with a probability of over 99.98%, Plato based the description of Atlantis' geography on Ireland. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by odysseus 18th February 2005ce Edited 19th February 2005ce

Mythical Ireland - new light on the ancient past An exploration of Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth, Tara, Loughcrew and other ancient sites of Ireland in the context of art, astronomy, mythology and archaeology. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by mythicalireland 19th March 2004ce Edited 29th September 2004ce

Mythical Ireland Spirals, lozenges and concentric circles in one of the world's hubs of megalithic art. Knowth, Dowth, Newgrange and Fourknocks sun-lit in their full glory! Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Annexus Quam 10th March 2001ce Edited 20th May 2005ce

Shalwy (Court Tomb) — Fieldnotes

The magnificent court tomb of Shalwy lies just a couple of hundred yards uphill from its companion site Croaghbeg, hidden from all but the most inquisitive passer-by .... http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/5377/croaghbeg.html and is arguably an even better example of the type, being sited upon a small knoll and possessing an additional 'triangular' lintel stone and more defined court. The vibe and sense of place is just as exquisite, the build quality just as good. Made to last, you could say. Note, however, that an approach from Croaghbeg, although short, involves negotiating several barbed-wire fences and very rough, soggy ground. In fact, in retrospect, I would suggest that returning to the road from Croaghbeg and then approaching Shalwy direct would be a less arduous undertaking. Despite initial appearances, these two court tombs do not grant personal appearances lightly. Hey, but isn't that always the way with classy ladies? Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by GLADMAN 14th March 2010ce

Croaghbeg (Court Tomb) — Fieldnotes

It's hard to credit that such ancient structures as Croaghbeg - and its near neighbour Shalwy - can remain in such a state of glorious abandonment in this, the 21st Century! If ever there were a pair of hidden megalithic gems, 'tis these two beauties. Even armed with one of the recently introduced Irish 1:50K maps, finding the courts tombs is much easier said than done, until two locals on the coastal road confirm the steep northern turn-off does indeed lead towards Gortnagalliagh. Sure enough, after parking near a junction with a rough farm track, I notice two apparent heaps of stone in the deep valley below to my right. Further afield, W.B. Yeats' Benbulben rises beyond the tiny island of Inishduff within Donegal Bay. It is a sensational vista, it really is, and I believe I can make out Knocknarea. Actually visiting the tombs is also no easy matter, progress down the steep valley side hindered not only by barbed-wire fences (the locals weren't at all perturbed by our visit, it has to be said) and the rough ground underfoot, but by 6ft plus fern rendered soaking wet by a sudden heavy shower. Good job the 'Gladmum' and I elected to wear full waterproofs, then. Seeing the tomb up close and personal for the first time after emerging from the fern cover is something special, almost as if it's actually located within a clearing in the primeval forest or something. Seemingly only missing its capstones, the structure is very well preserved, being solidly constructed of large stones. Having said that, the court itself appears a little poorly defined, although an apparent capstone-less dolmen structure within the court area is a nice additional touch. A visit to Croaghbeg is a somewhat surreal experience, as if the traveller is granted several hours upon some Lost World plateau where time has stood still. There are no turnstiles, signposts, kissing gates or information boards here, and certainly no tourists to break the spell. Hell, there's nothing at all to interrupt a perfect experience. Except the draw of Croaghbeg's companion tomb, Shalwy, a little up the valley. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3033/shalwy.html So why not indeed? Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by GLADMAN 14th March 2010ce

Kilclooney More (Portal Tomb) — Fieldnotes

Of all prehistoric structures it is perhaps the portal tomb which is consistently the most aesthetically pleasing to the modern eye. Whether originally covered by a mound or not(?), the haunting, bare profile of a dolmen/cromlech is guaranteed to set the thought processes a' flowing.... there are squat, powerful ones (e.g. Lligwy), the overwhelmingly massive (e.g. Browne's Hill), the elegant and impossibly fragile (e.g. Pentre Ifan), the downright bonkers (Trethevy Quoit), the cute little ones (Chun Quoit, Maen-y-Bardd) and the classic 'Flintstones' form (Devil's Den). Quite where the Kilclooney More portal fits in to these categories, I don't know. To be honest I think it's in a category of its own. Really, it is that good. Sure, I'd seen the pictures and this dolmen was the primary reason for the trip to Donegal - although the many court tombs had a little to do with it, I suppose. But little can prepare the visitor for the elegant form, the streamlined contours... and the sheer, well, sensuous femininity of this wonderful structure. The visit starts in a less than inspiring manner as I park at the 'Dolmen Centre' (oh dear) beside an impossibly yellow church (double-plus oh dear). Hmm. Trying a bit too hard, me-thinks? Anyway, crossing a bridge beside the latter monstrosity, accompanied by a very annoying hound which wants me to play ball, a path leads onto open moorland, the dolmen eventually appearing upon the horizon. Tourists, with their trademark inane assertions, abound, doing little to dispel my distinctly 'underwhelmed' state of mind. 'This had better be good'... Needless to say it is. Very. The capstone soars upon well proportioned orthostats as if seemingly made of balsa and liable to float away into space any second, the whole sculpture so incredibly well balanced it takes the breath away. Surely this capstone was always meant to be seen? Further inspection reveals a near 360 degree sweep of mountains upon the horizon and a smaller chamber - seemingly the real thing and not a folly - behind the main event. Hmm, were both after all covered by a single cairn? More questions than answers, a particularly knowledgeable American tourist then going on to torpedo another of my cherished stereotypes. Are you listening to me, boy? I leave this wonderful site for the nearby ruined court tomb..... http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/5332/kilclooney_more.html .....thinking that, quite possibly, this is the finest dolmen in these Isles. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by GLADMAN 14th March 2010ce

Malin More (Portal Tomb) — Images (click to view fullsize)

Posted by GLADMAN 14th March 2010ce

Kilclooney More (Portal Tomb) — Images

Posted by GLADMAN 14th March 2010ce

Lettergorman (South) (Stone Circle) — Images

Posted by gjrk 14th March 2010ce