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A three metre tall, roadside standing stone on the road from Ardara to Kilclooney, just to the south of the Owenea river. A ruined farmhouse stops you spotting it as you travel north to Kilclooney, but glance over your shoulder just before the bridge and it’s unmissable. A large, hefty block of a stone, wonderful and strong and towering, slightly tilting to the west. I wondered how it could have survived standing all these years, and how much of it was below ground.

An almost urban monument, about a kilometre above busy Killybegs harbour. Tucked in under a thorn tree at the bottom of a long driveway. It’s really quite impressive, though low and squat, and it has its own fógra. The modern driveway almost truncates the front of the tomb. The Survey says that this driveway “… is a raised trackway, now disused.” Well, seems like things have changed since publication 20 years ago. No matter – the landowners arrived while we were there and paid us no heed.

Typically aligned WSW-ENE, with the entrance at the west, a displaced septal slab now blocks any view into the chamber from here. The northern side is all grass-covered cairn material, as is most of the southern side, except a gap at the western end which gives a view into the 3 metre long chamber. A single roofstone covers most of this and affords a handy shelter to any small furry creatures in need. I once disturbed a tiny resting fawn along the banks of the Glendassan river while on a bullaun hunt, startling both him and me to the extent that I’m overly cautious now when exploring secluded sites. I needn’t have worried here, though I never got in far enough to be 100% sure.

I think this is a wedge tomb. This despite the lack of any sort of double-walling. Or any ante-chamber or portico. But no worries. I can go with Portal tomb (?), as in the Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland, Volume VI, County Donegal. It just doesn’t feel like a portal tomb. Especially in the shadow (or in the light) of what lies a kilometre to the north-east. But then again it might be neither

That said, this is a fine little monument. It’s environment has changed since the publication of the Survey (2002, but the photo may be from well before that) and indeed from Bogman’s visit 11 years ago. It’s in semi-bogland, occasionally used for cattle, about 250 metres north of a small boreen off the Ardara to Kilclooney road.

A single, quite delicate, granite capstone/roofstone covers a small chamber almost 1.5 metres square. It’s set into a mound that rises maybe half a metre above the surrounding terrain. It’s possible that the chamber floor is deeper than these dimensions suggest but I didn’t check, the brambles and other growth discouraging inspection. The gabled backstone is a noticeable attraction and the whole monument offers a serene piece of megalithic charm.

A kilometre south-west of Dunkineely is this mighty fine stone pair. Situated in someone’s garden (if it’s yours, I knocked on your door and got no reply), it’s aligned ESE-WNW, the southern stone 2.3 metres tall, the northern 1.9. It’s situated on the neck of land at the top of the long and thin peninsula that leads down to Saint John’s Point, 8 kms to the south-west. There are fine views west towards Slieve League.

The site from whence the townland gets its name (presumably, as there’s another cairn nearby), about 5 kilometres east of Dungiven and by the side of the road. It’s in a large, narrow, sloping pasture and is quite a presence, though secondary in most of the popular literature in comparison to the denuded Boviel 800 metres north of here. The views south into the Glenshane Valley are fantastic, with the Sperrins brooding beyond in the distance.

This is an example of an almost complete wedge tomb, yet to be plundered, its chamber probably still covered. The facade, facing south-west, and some of the kerbstones are visible, and there seems to be some clearance dumped on top. The road above, the fast-moving and unforgiving A6 main Derry to Belfast road, is hidden from view and you could while away some time here, the sheep timid enough.