Images

Image of Kiltiernan (Portal Tomb) by CianMcLiam

The gorse has been dramatically cut back revealing the whole structure of what remains of this magnificent dolmen. Now is the time to catch this portal tomb in all its glory.

Image credit: Ken Williams/ShadowsandStone.com 2007
Image of Kiltiernan (Portal Tomb) by ryaner

13/08/06 Vicster (standing) and Victoria at Kiltiernan

Image credit: ryaner
Image of Kiltiernan (Portal Tomb) by ryaner

Once more, this time from above showing how the design wraps around the edge of the stone.

Image credit: Ryaner
Image of Kiltiernan (Portal Tomb) by ryaner

The ‘lozenge’ from another angle, this time from the back of the pile.

Image credit: Ryaner
Image of Kiltiernan (Portal Tomb) by ryaner

This pile is 40 metres North-West of the dolmen. The stone with the possibly lozenge is at top-left.

Image credit: Ryaner
Image of Kiltiernan (Portal Tomb) by ryaner

Looking face-on at the ‘snout’ of the capstone

Image credit: Ryaner
Image of Kiltiernan (Portal Tomb) by CianMcLiam

This was not created deliberately! Taken straight from the camera (Nikon D70) and resized. I think either my camera needs a trip to the repair shop, or else some freaky spirits were listening to Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix at the time I took this. I hope its the freaky spirits.

Image credit: Ken Williams (Cian McLiam)
Image of Kiltiernan (Portal Tomb) by CianMcLiam

A view from the opposite side shows how this massive capstone is supported

Image credit: Ken Williams (Cianmcliam)

Articles

Kiltiernan

This was Vicky’s favourite site of the day. I must admit, the journey up there did help; having to risk the electric fence (switched off!) and the hounds howling in the distance made for an exhilirating few minutes..... and then, when we saw the huge capstone before us, in amongst the gorse, it was incredible. Vicky spotted a fox, running into the gorse which made things even more fantastic!

Having been at Browne’s Hill a couple of hours earlier and being slightly disappointed by the atmosphere of the place, this was just perfect. I like having to make an effort to see a site and the fact that this beautiful portal tomb is siutated in what feels like a wilder, unvisited landscape made the whole thing seem that much more impressive. The capstone is massive and has a “head”, almost serpent-like. Andy said that it has been described as sphynx-like and I really could see the connection.

We explored for a good while and then Andy took us over to some stones which he believed had some markings on them. It was bit of a hairy climb up, trying to get all three of us balanced on the stones below but when Andy pointed out the stone in question, it was worth it. A definite pattern of chevrons was carved into the rock edge and continued on the other side. It was pertty hard to see because of the way the rocks have been dumped by land clearance but it was definitely there.

This is an awe-inspiring place; once again I had to wonder at the ingenuity (or madness) of the people who engineered the massive capstone into place on the dolmen and the fact that it is still intact.

Sites within 20km of Kiltiernan