CianMcLiam

Not as easy to find as I had thought, though it is well signposted once you get near to it. The portal tomb is fantastic, in a secluded little grove all of its own it seems to enjoy a little protection from the elements and agriculture/development. Because you cant see it until you are right beside it it seems all the more impressive and imposing when you do reach it after the anticipation of walking up the trackway and through the gate.

It has been rebuilt and supported of course, but most of the evidence is hidden inside the tomb or covered in moss and undergrowth so that from the outside it looks pretty much untouched.

While I struggled to get photos while crouched in the bushes and wearing a pair of gloves to stop my fingers freezing off (surely the one great advantage of plastic camera bodies!) I wasnt getting photos as good as this tomb deserves. I was about to pack up and leave when a torrential shower poured down on top of me, the choice was either to make a run for the car or get inside and hope for the best! The ugly concrete beam inside the tomb doesnt add much to the feel of the tomb, but it makes a practical seat right between two uprights, giving great shelter!

Once the rain had stopped I decided to try using the flash in wireless mode after fiddling around with it inside during the shower. The first few looked promising, part of the tomb is under the cover of a tree and shaded from the light, the photos looked a lot more balanced with a bit of illumination over this part to the front of the tomb, and under the capstone. Getting in closer and as low as possible from the opposite side, facing the sun, I could feel the tomb looming over me and with the widest possible angle I got a few shots that really show the carachter of the place and the dominance of the tomb. At last! All thanks to the rain and bitter wind :)

Photos here: cianmcliam.smugmug.com/gallery/353977

Wow, what a place! The ‘ring’ is huge, a well preserved high bank with steep sides apparently used as a sports and recreation centre by the locals! Dozens of people walking, cycling, kiting, playing football and jogging, with a small army of children using the megalithic tomb in the centre as a climbing frame-cum-fortress. Great. At least it does have easy access and a carpark though I would have traded that for a less crowds and more quiet...

The tomb itself is very nice, it does have traces of grafitti and the stones are rubbed smooth from the feet of thousands of kids but at least its still standing and isn’t enclosed by an ugly fence.

I’ve seen lots of great photos of this tomb (one won a stage of photographer of the year in a magazine) and it seemed the kids would prevent me from getting a few moments alone to study it and the surrounding henge (with nearby trees). Slowly circling a group of young children playing under the watchful eye of their parents isnt really a great idea so I took the opportunity to walk the entire circumference of the henge in the freezing wind, dodging dogs and joggers. The park has a sign warning that the gates are closed at 4 o’clock in the evening. It was a quater to. Marvellous.

Five to four and the crowds vanish into thin air, a couple and their kids arrive to fly their kite so figuring they must be wise to the gate times I made my way to the tomb in the centre as quick as possible unpacking the camera gear as I go. After the experiences using wireless fill flash at Gaulstown Dolmen, I pretty much knew what I wanted in my head so in the ten minutes I had the place almost to myself I got shots of every angle with different sidelighting arrangements, trees in the distance lined up nicely though the sunset was a bit of a damp squib.

I also realised why I should always carry the tripod with me, the angle of the flash from the ground is just too low and the little stand thing Nikon bundle doesn’t work so great in the grass. In future I’ll bring at least one if not two tripods to hold either the flash or the camera, this should hopefully avoid the bright patch of grass along the line of flash. Much better.

A great place to visit, though make it early to avoid the multitudes!

Photos here:
cianmcliam.smugmug.com/gallery/359909/1/14303199