County: Limerick Site name: BALLYNAGALLAGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: R.M. Cleary and C. Jones, University College Cork
Site type: Cist
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 563996m, N 639051m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.501663, -8.530288
The site, which was threatened by agricultural improvement, contained 3 boulders whose proximity to other monuments (such as Leaba Na Muice wedge tomb), general wedge-shaped appearance and orientation, gave grounds for the surmise that they might have been part of a destroyed megalithic tomb. Excavation, lasting 4 weeks and facilitated by the kindness of the landowner, extended to 12m.sq. It was soon found that one boulder (C) lay on the modern turf line and had probably been moved to this site in previous land clearance. The other two stones lay embedded in horizon B. The stones may originally have formed part of a megalithic structure associated with the cist grave or primary cremation (below). The extent of the disturbance was such that this interpretation cannot be substantiated.
To the N.W. of stone C, a primary cremation and cist grave were uncovered. The cist grave had disturbed an earlier cremated burial which consisted of a very fragmentary cremated bone deposit. It was not possible to age or sex this cremation. The cist was polygonal in plan and was c.60cm below the surface. The capstone, if one existed, had been removed. The inhumed burial was in a flexed position. The subject was between 30-40 years old. No dating evidence was recovered for the primary cremation or subsequent cist grave burial.
