It is known as the ‘Giant’s Load’ and, when you stand under the great capstone of Proleek Dolmen, it’s not difficult to see why. This huge boulder is reputed to weigh around 40 tonnes, yet it sits comfortably on top of three upright stones as if it was a sheet of paper and not a giant rock. Legend says the stone was carried there by a Scottish giant called Parrah Boug McShagean, who is reputed to be buried nearby. Another tale says it was brought by a giant from a nearby mountain. Proleek is one of Ireland’s best-known examples of what archaeologists call a Portal Tomb or Dolmen, and photographs of the monument are featured far and wide. A new theory suggests the tomb may have been deliberately aligned towards Slieve Gullion, where on the summer solstice, the sun sets behind the mountain.
See more about this alignment, including some new images of Proleek, at: