Corracloona Court Tomb Explained

Corracloona Court Tomb
Native Name:Tuama Cúirte Currach Chluana
Native Language:ga
Other Name:Prince Connell's Grave
Coordinates:54.3348°N -8.0045°W
Location:Corracloona, Kiltyclogher,
County Leitrim, Republic of Ireland
Built:c. 2000–1500 BC
Elevation:112m (367feet)
Type:court cairn?
Height:1.2m (03.9feet)
Embedded:
Embed:yes
Designation2:National Monument of Ireland
Designation2 Offname:Corracloona
Designation2 Number:405[1]

Corracloona Court Tomb, commonly called Prince Connell's Grave, is a chamber tomb and National Monument located in the north of County Leitrim in the West of Ireland.[2]

Location

Corracloona Court Tomb is located on a slope overlooking the northern tip of Lough MacNean, 3.3 km (2 miles) southeast of Kiltyclogher.[3]

History

Corracloona Court Tomb was built c. 2000–1500 BC, in the early Bronze Age.

It is locally known as Prince Connell's Grave (Irish: Feart Chonaill Flaith). There are several nobles of this name in Irish legend; the most likely candidate is Conall Gulban, 5th-century founder of the Cenél Conaill. However, another legend places Conall Gulban's grave at the dolmen at Fenagh. In any case, both Corracloona and Fenagh monuments are thousands of years older than Conall Gulban.

It was first excavated in 1953.[3]

Description

Prince Connell's Grave is usually described as a court tomb (court cairn), although some see it as a dolmen (portal tomb) or Wedge-shaped gallery grave (wedge tomb). It has a small forecourt (1.5 m wide) and only one burial chamber (2 × 3.5 m), with a large slab separating the two. This slab has a large hole in the bottom, called a "kennel-hole"; this is similar to some tombs in southern France, and may have been used to add additional burials, speak to the dead or leave offerings. However, the hole could be an accidental break.[4] [5] [6] [7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Monuments of County Leitrim in State Care . 1 . heritageireland.ie . National Monument Service . 2 July 2020.
  2. Web site: Corracloona Megalithic Tomb, Leitrim - TripAdvisor.
  3. Web site: Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society. 1 January 1977. The Society. Google Books.
  4. Web site: Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland: Counties: Galway, Roscommon, Leitrim, Longford, Westmeath, Laoighis, Offaly, Kildare, Cavan. Ordnance Survey. (Ireland). Ruaidhrí De. Valera. Seán Ó. Nualláin. 1 January 1972. Stationery Office. Google Books.
  5. Web site: Corracloona.
  6. Web site: Corracloona Megalithic Tomb / Prince Connell's Grave.
  7. Web site: Corracloona Court Tomb. Megalithic Monuments of Ireland. 2010.