This court
cairn is situated in the townland of Ballinamona Lower, Parish of Ardmore. The site is marked 'dolmen' on the 6 inch
O.S. map, and is known locally as 'Cailleach Bhearra's House'. It is located about one mile north of Mine
Head Lighthouse and about 100 yards from the cliff edge.
In May 1938
an excavation was carried out on the site as part of the relief of unemployment
programme under the direction of T.G.E. Powell.
Laurence Mongey a chemist and antiquarian and amateur photographer from
Dungarvan helped on the dig.
The Cairn & Forecourt : The cairn
(mound of stones covering the tomb) was not retained by kerb stones and was
about 32 feet in length with about 6 feet on either side of the chamber. On the south side of the forecourt a small
hearth was found. The forecourt
consisted of four large free standing uprights, two in the north and two on the
south side.
Plan And Elevation of a Portal Tomb
The
Chamber : This is
10 feet 6 inches long and 5 feet 3 inches wide.
It is built with five orthostats, two on the north, two on the south and
one on the east side. The entrance
opening at the west end is 18 inches wide.
The chamber is divided into two compartments. Originally the chambers would have been
covered by two or three slabs, these have since disappeared. The excavation
found that compartment A had been disturbed, as a pit had been dug into the
floor probably by treasure hunters. Some
flint flakes were found in this area. Some
artefacts were found in compartment B including a small amount of cremated
bone. However the floor here had been
disturbed at some period.
The Finds : Eleven pottery shards were found
in compartment B. This ware was about 5
millimetres thick. The shards had a red
colour with patches of grey. Some larger
shards were found and when these were joined they formed about one quarter of
the rim of a vessel about 13 cm in diameter across the mouth. The shards were 11 mm thick and
composed of grey and white stone grits and mica. The colour of the pot shards were dark brown
with grey and white specks.
'The
reconstruction suggests a round base for the vessel which, if this were so, was
then of a simple bowl type with heavy applied ledge rim. Decoration is found on the rim ledge on the
body of the pot where it survives. On
the rim are a series of five broad, shallow, horizontal grooves. Above these, on the edge of the lip are a row
of very small vertical impressions. The
outer angle of the applied ledge forms the centre line of a herring bone
pattern, made by small oblique stroke like impressions closely set on either
side. The herring bone pattern
deteriorates in some places to a few strokes on the upper side only, and in
another it is supplanted by three rough stokes executed in the stab and drag
technique. Below the best row of herring
bone is a zone broad horizontal grooves...'
Stone Disc : In the corner of compartment B. a
small stone disc was found. It was made
of a fine grained piece of old Red Sandstone with a diameter of 5 cm and 8 mm
thick in the centre.
by William Fraher
by William Fraher