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Onagh : Portal Tomb

CountyWicklow
Grid RefO 197 153
GPSO 19673 15279 (7m)
Longitude6° 12' 36.01" W
Latitude53° 10' 28.36" N
Nearest TownKilmacanoge (5.1 Km)
OS Sheet56
UTM zone29U
UTM x686461.01049178
UTM y5895322.652467

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Glaskenny - Rock OutcropOnagh - Rock Art
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Visit Notes

Saturday, 25th August 2001

This took some effort to find due to being situated in a dip, down a bank from a single track road. I had to ask for directions to it while I was standing just 100 yards away.

After a quick field scramble and barbed wire fence hop we reached it. The capstone has slid off and sits resting against the rear of the chamber and the floor at 45 degrees. The chamber itself is collapsed and one of the portal stones has fallen, lying beneath the hedgerow.

The overgrown nature of the field that it sits in both adds and subtracts from this great tomb. The hedgerow around it is studded with smaller stones that form an arc just to either side. Was this a courtyard?

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All Sites Visited On 25th August 2001    Next Site »

Sunday, 6th January 2002

Having had a poor day I decided to see if the dead winter vegitation around this tomb had made it more visible. Luckily it has exposed this structure significantly and I was able to take some clearer photos.

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All Sites Visited On 6th January 2002    « Previous Site    Next Site »

Saturday, 20th July 2002

I am always in awe of the size of this capstone. It is easily 3m x 3.5m, making it a very large example. Anthony, despite the tombs run down condition, was also taken in by its charm and impressive dimensions.

All Sites Visited On 20th July 2002    « Previous Site    Next Site »

Tuesday, 27th December 2005

For a long time I have suspected that there is a significant winter solstice alignment at this site. Many people have looked at me as if I was from another planet when I've mentioned this possibility, but today I decided to go out and see for myself.

After making a last minute decision to go out I wasn't sure if I would get there in time. Panic set in as I drove along the road to the site and could see a bright orange glow in the wrong place! Oh well, I thought, I might as well go anyway. I arrived in time for the sunrise and the glow was now in the right place: the bendy roads had completely disoriented me.

The sun, although partly hidden by broken clouds, broke the horizon at the lowest point on the hillside to the southwest of the portal tomb. Result!

While I was here I took the time to take some compass readings. I now think there are two other alignments from this site, which I hope to check out next year.

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All Sites Visited On 27th December 2005

Saturday, 19th May 2007

This was a flying visit to see what state the monument is in. Someone had told me that the nearby farmhouse was up for redevelopment, so I wanted to see what was going on.

The field is a mess. The cottage has gone and demolition debris litter the field. The tomb is more overgrown than I've ever seen it and some rubbish has been piled up near it. I hope the developers know what these large rocks on the edge of the site are!

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All Sites Visited On 19th May 2007    « Previous Site    Next Site »

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Directions

From Enniskerry take the Glencree Road and take the first left. Turn right at the next junction and the tomb in in a field on the left after about 300m, next to a deserted house with a red tin roof.

Random Gazetteer

A Random Selection of Nearby Monuments

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8.7 Km (NE) there is a Cross at St. Anne's Church Shankhill known as Kiltuck (Co. Dublin).
5.2 Km (ENE) there is a Cross at Fassaroe.
7.7 Km (NNE) there is a Round Tower at Rathmichael known as Rathmichael Church (Co. Dublin).
4.4 Km (ESE) there is a Cairn at Glencap Commons known as The Great Sugar Loaf.
6.5 Km (N) there is a Standing Stone at Ballyedmonduff (Co. Dublin).

A Selection of Other Portal Tombs

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