Hi & Welcome to TMA

First off, thanks for the kind words. There are several sources to start you off.

http://www.irishmegaliths.org.uk/down.htm
http://www.megalithomania.com/show/county/7

should get you a good starting list. Unfortunately both are a bit thin on directions, so I'll recommend what I always recommend - Ordnance Survey maps are the only way to find these monuments. In the UK & Ireland we are blessed with great maps, which unlike most other countries mark our ancient monuments.

When I started out I would look around the web for good looking sites and then buy the relevant OS map to plan my visit and also pick out some sites that are close by to visit as well while I was in the area.

If you've done the Boyne Valley and the Giant's Ring then there aren't many sites that are as immediately impressive, but you have some great ones very near to you.

If you want any specific info that you can't find on the web then contact me through megalithomania.

Good luck with the megalith hunting and the course!

Good luck with your course! I have a feeling you will do well. I might add any advice the great Fourwinds says is worth following. I would say forget the 100 mile limit and head on down to Reanascreena. It was my first stone circle and it would be well worth it. Fourwinds guided me to it and I agree you cannot go wrong with OS maps. I want to do the joint honours course in maths and physics at University College Cork, so thanks for the inspiration(as strange as that sounds). Sorry I am a little drunk right now. Fourwinds rules.

For me, the must see places in that area are more famous portal tombs Legannany Dolmen and Goward Dolmen, the court tombs at Ballymacaldrack (Dooeys Cairn) in Antrim, Ballymacdermaot and Clontygora in Armagh near the border, Ballykeel Dolmen is superb and has a long cairn and kist burial and is about 20 minutes from Newry. Proleek Dolmen is magnificent and is just north of Dundalk on the road to Carlingford, behind the Ballymascanlon hotel and golf club.

Sites I haven't been to yet but will do soon are Annaghmare court tomb in Armagh, Ballynoe stone circle in Down, Kilfeaghan Dolmen and the possible trip for this weekend is(are?) Beaghmore stone circles in Tyrone.

All the above are a bit scattered but you did say 100 miles! The sites above are among the very best in Ireland so there's plenty to see within an hour or two's drive.

For directions, Fourwinds directions are very good as mentioned (from an independent observer :) ) and there are also good directions at http://www.megalithicireland.com/ but to be absolutely sure use the life-saving multi-map feature on Megalithomania. The online Norn-Iron maps are excellent if a little antiquated looking but if you have a good road map and print off the multi-map of a location you cant go wrong. For example the multi-map link on Megalithomania for Legananny Dolmen ( http://www.megalithomania.com/show/site/279 ) is http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&GridE=-6.0187&GridN=54.3229&lon=-6.0187&lat=54.3229&db=nireland&overviewmap=&scale=50000&client=public&cidr_client=none&place=Legananny+%28Portal+Tomb%29

If you zoom in and out as needed you will work out the best route there.

Good luck!

Ken

Hi Phil,

You've received some great advice so far which I'll not try to add to except to say that sometimes, like people, the most impressively visual ones aren't necessarily the most interesting.

Good luck with your course.

Rune