Eire 91
Image by ryaner

rockhopper wrote:
No evidence has ever been produced to support the mound theory, and in my opinion, limited though it may be, they never existed. The dolmens are a striking feature in the landscape, and were meant to be seen. To go to the considerable effort to build them in the first place (and if you ever get to see the example at Kilmogue in Co. Kilkenny, one of the most remarkable pieces of balancing in western Europe, and one that would defy the most modern structural engineer) and then to cover them with earth, seems ridiculous.
This might change your opinion:
http://megalithomania.com/show/site/378/burren_sw_portal_tomb.htm
Initially classified as a wedge (as it is classified on TMA), FW re-appraised it (see his notes for Saturday, 17th March 2007) and reckons it's a portal. I think he may be right.

Certainly appears to be, although he does say "This would make it the only portal tomb known to have been definately covered by cairn!"
I'm still not convinced. In all the ones I've seen there has been no trace of a mound, inasmuch as raised ground around the monument which could have been the original covering, or any sort of 'spread'. It's the complete disappearance of any mound that gives me doubts. Why would that have been done and to every single one, except the one here which does seem to be an exception. Interesting though.

Just to expand on that a little. Back in 2005, I did an 'Introduction to Irish archaeology' course run by University college Cork. During one of the lectures, the guy doing the lecture gave us the speil that the the Irish portals, (and examples in the U.K may be different) were covered with mounds. So I stuck up my hand, and expressed the opinion that I thought this was not so. His exact words were "Well I was'nt go to say anything, but neither do I"
I thought it a very revealing statement, and indicitive of those even in authouritive positions, to challenge "accepted" wisdom.
If no-one is prepared to do this, then where are we going?