Kilclooney Portal Tombs
Kilclooney More Dolmens · Kilclooney Dolmens
Middle Neolithic·Irish Portal Tomb tradition·🇮🇪 County Donegal, Ulster, Ireland
About
About Kilclooney Portal Tombs
Pair of portal tombs and a court tomb at Kilclooney More near Ardara, Donegal, built c.3500–2500 BCE. The main portal tomb features a capstone estimated at 30+ tons raised on 1.8 m portals, set at the southern end of a small cairn. A second smaller portal tomb lies 20 m north, and a court tomb nearby demonstrates multiple tomb traditions clustering on this Atlantic coastal terrace.
Why it mattersPair of portal tombs and a court tomb at Kilclooney More near Ardara, Donegal, built c.3500–2500 BCE. The main portal tomb features a capstone estimated at 30+ tons raised on 1.8 m portals, set at the southern end of a s
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Capstone transport method
Theories
- 01Coastal tomb cluster and sea intervisibility
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 3500–2500 BCE
- Period
- Middle Neolithic
- Culture
- Irish Portal Tomb tradition
- Purpose
- Portal tombs and court tomb
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 3500–2500 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1388 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
54.8177° N · 8.4331° W · 20 m · 2 mapped features
Main (south) portal tomb
portal tombLarge portal tomb with 30-ton granite capstone on 1.8 m portals at south end of cairn
54.8177° N · 8.4331° WSecondary (north) portal tomb and court tomb
portal tombSmaller portal tomb 20 m north and adjacent court tomb with gallery
54.8179° N · 8.4334° W
Gallery