Aligned roughly north-south, this tomb forms part of an old wall at the back of an abandoned farmhouse. At the back of the tomb is this, a slightly-corballed or packed area. It’s hard to tell if this is part of the original or stems from the much newer wall. I guess the former.
After a brief tidy up, the front of the tomb is revealed. The roofstone rests here on 2 orthostats, the western one collapsing.
Looking south-east into the burial chamber
My interest is that I live in a neighbouring townland to the kist tomb at Ballylowra (by the way, it has always been said locally -- to my knowledge, at least -- that the tomb is in Ballylowra, never that it is in Ballydowan). My parents’ house is probably the second-closest inhabited dwelling to the site.
We have always been fascinated by the tomb since we were young children, due to our parents’ interest. What others may like to know is that it is given locally that there is a second ancient tomb nearby. My grandfather, John O’Sullivan, told such to my father. The source for my grandfather’s information about adjoining sites was Michael Cody, who farmed in Earlsgrove (as his grandson Tommy still does). Mr Cody passed away in the 1960s and was a renowned source of local folklore.
Very interestly, my younger brother spotted a reference in an encyclopaedia. There were two tombs marked -- under ‘Derrynahinch’ (my own townland) -- as Mr Cody had held. I do not have this particular encyclopaedia to hand. But I will look it up and post the details later.
Does anyone else have information about this particular kist tomb, both in general and, perhaps, regarding the presence of another tomb in the area? I would be very grateful to receive any information.
Yours faithfully --
Patrick O’Sullivan
