- Tonaleeaun, Co. Mayo, Mayo

In September 1945 a short cist containing human remains was discovered at Tonaleeaun, near Cong, Co. Mayo.⁵ The cairn, known locally as ‘Game Cairn’, was apparently being robbed and the cist was exposed. The site was reported to the Museum by Mr Allerton Moore, who was undertaking a survey of the area and provided a full report. According to his report, the mound measured c. 30m across and was bounded by a low rampart of stone, probably not more than 0.6m in height. The cist measured 1.06m long by 0.8m wide and was formed of four edge-set limestone slabs covered with a single capstone. A quantity of bone was apparently found underneath the basal slab, but no other finds were made in the cist. A year later, when Allerton Moore returned to the site, the first cist had been destroyed but a second cist was discovered. According to his report, the cist consisted of a basal slab and a capstone but no side slabs. Instead, the sides were made up of compacted smaller stones. The cist contained a quantity of bones, which were handed into the Natural History Museum. The SMR records a stone circle, a stone circle possible, a cairn, a cist and a possible cist in this townland (presumably based on this NMI report), but it may be that the cairn as described above is actually one of two stone circles⁶ listed for this townland. Lohan (1999, 80–4) describes one stone circle but does not list any other monuments or cists in this townland.

5. Parish of Cong, barony of Kilmaine. OS 6in. sheets 120, 121. This is presumably SMR MA120-061001-.
6. SMR MA120-048——. IGR 116391 256058. MA120-068——.