Location Rathborney, The Burren Type Wedge tomb Public access Yes | Region Ireland Ownership on private property | |
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Periods late Neolithic/early Bronze Age Address Lisgoogan, Co. Clare, Ireland Similar Parknabinnia, Labbacallee wedge tomb, Caherconnell Stone Fort, Poulnabrone dolmen, Leamaneh Castle | ||
The Gleninsheen wedge tombs are two prehistoric wedge tombs located in the Burren area of County Clare, Ireland.
Contents
Location
The tombs are located on private property in the townland of Gleninsheen, parish of Rathborney, not far from the N480 road. One is located right next to the road. The other, partially collapsed, is around 100 m to the northeast in a field.
They are among eighty wedge tombs still extant in Clare. The largest concentration of them is found on Roughan Hill near Kilnaboy.
In 1932, not far from the wedge tombs, a local man discovered the Gleninsheen Gorget, a golden neck ornament dating from c. 800 to 700 BC, concealed in one of the limestone grykes. It is now on exhibit at the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.
Description
The tombs are wedge-shaped in ground plan, with the widest part facing south west towards the setting sun like all tombs of this type. The setting sun is thus thought to have been of special significance to the builders.
No wedge tomb in the Burren has so far been excavated, but theses are tentatively dated to 2300 to 2000 BC, the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age.