Annadorn Dolmen is a dolmen

Dolmen

A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...

 sited at the Buck's Head near Loughinisland, County Down

County Down

-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...

, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

. It is on the north-east shore of Loughinisland Lake, on a hillock overlooking Loughinisland Churches

Loughinisland Churches

The Loughinisland Churches are the remains of three ruined churches in Loughinisland, County Down, Northern Ireland, dating from the 13th to the 17th centuries. They are situated in Tievenadarragh townland, in a large graveyard on an island in Loughinisland Lake, now reached by a causeway...

, a group of three ruined churches. The site is a State Care Historic Monument at grid ref: J4289 4591. Co-ordinates: Latitude: 54° 20' 29.97" N Longitude: 5° 48' 8.72" W

Features

The dolmen has a large, low, slightly displaced capstone about 65 cm thick covering a rectangular chamber and supported by three stones about 60 cm high. An account of 1802 suggests that it was formerly set beneath a large rectangular cairn 60 ft in diameter and approached by a lintelled passage, so it could be the remains of a passage grave. Another possible explanation could be that the supporting stones were originally upright supporting the capstone, representing a more typical tripod dolmen. The monument has not been excavated and closer examination would be required to correctly interpret the site. The capstone has many small solution pits on the upper surface, two of which appear to have been enlarged. The 1802 account also says the chamber under the capstone contained ashes and a number of bones.

History

In the 18th century, Thomas Russell

Thomas Russell (rebel)

Thomas Paliser Russell was a co-founder and leader of the United Irishmen was executed for his part in Robert Emmet's rebellion in 1803.-Background:...

, co-founder and leader of the United Irishmen, used this stone as a platform for his gatherings in Loughinisland.

External links

• Irish Antiquities - Photographs of Annadorn Dolmen