GLENINSHEEN WEDGE TOMB
Gleninsheen, County Clare

The Gleninsheen Wedge Tomb is a fine example of the transition beween Stone and Bronze Age cultures, and one of the four types of megalithic graves in Ireland.

Wedge tombs differ from dolmens, though their uses were the same. Where the dolmen has several stone supporting the roof slab, with a wedge tomb single large slabs form the supports of the roof stone. Wedge tombs and dolmens were entrances into great burial chambers. Traditionally, these entrances faced east, but the entrance at Gleninsheen opens to the west.

There are approximately seventy megalithic tombs in the region, two of which are near Gleninsheen, though not in as good a condition.

In 1932, the Gleninsheen Collar was discovered by a local farmer in a rocky crevice near the tomb. The collar dates to around 700BC and is on display in the National Museum on Kildare Street in Dublin City.

This tomb is located north of Poulnabrone on the same road, the R480. A small sign marks the way to the Gleninsheen area on the east side of the road.

~ Free car parking available
~ limited access, rugged walk to the site