Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeMegalithic tomb - portal tomb
- StatusNational Monument
What to look for
- Capstone
- Portal stones
- Cairn
- Orthostats
Picked out from the Archaeological Survey description below.
Visiting
- National Monument in State care, listed by the National Monuments Service as a monument to visit.NMS Monuments to Visit · official page
- May be on private land and not open to the publicNational Monuments Service advice
Opening times and fees change: check with the operator before you go.
About Browneshill Megalithic Tomb
- 3000 BCThe monument dates to between 4000 and 3000 BC and was built by the earliest farming…
Its history
- The monument dates to between 4000 and 3000 BC and was built by the earliest farming communities to inhabit the island of Ireland.
What you'll see
- Known as the ‘Browneshill dolmen’, because it is sited on a hill on which sits the former estate house of the Browne family, the remains of this megalithic tomb are well-preserved and the chamber faces down slope to the east.
- It consists of a massive granite roofstone resting on two upright portal stones with a ‘doorstone’ between them.
- A fourth stone stands beside them and may indicate the remains of some form of facade.
- The west end of the roofstone rests on a prostrate stone which could be interpreted as a collapsed backstone.
- There is no visible trace of a surrounding mound around the structure and the interior ground level of the chamber area is slightly lower than the surrounding field surface.
- The roofstone is exceptionally large measuring just over 6 metres long by almost 4.50 metres wide and 2 metres thick: it is estimated to weigh at least 100 tons.
Text: National Monuments Service, Monuments to Visit (CC BY 4.0). Sentences grouped by topic by ErinSites; the wording is unchanged.
History and description
Full archaeological record 89 words
National Monument No. 613. Known as Brownshill. Very large capstone (4.7m x 6.1m x 2m) rests on two portal stones, door stone and prostrate slab. Side stones missing. Single orthostat flanks N portal stone, possibly remains of facade, but no visible trace of cairn or mound. According to Borlase (1897, 398), one of three 'dolmens' in this townland (see also CW007-011---- and CW007-012----). Chamber faces E. (Ó Nualláin 1983, 91).
Historic Monument No. HM00328, this monument was entered in the Register of Historic Monuments on the 04 September 1970.
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Updated 17 July 2007 · Based on the Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
More megalithic tombs nearby
Haroldstown Dolmen
Megalithic tomb - portal tomb · Haroldstown · Carlow · 15 km away
Moylisha Wedge Tomb
Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb · Moylisha · Wicklow · 20 km away
portal tomb of Kilgraney
Megalithic tomb - portal tomb · Kilgraney (Idrone East By.) · Carlow · 22 km away
Tornant Upper
Megalithic tomb - passage tomb · Tornant Upper · Wicklow · 26 km away
portal tomb of Broomfields
Megalithic tomb - portal tomb · Broomfields · Wicklow · 27 km away
Visitors' notes
Badges are opinions of visitors - not verified facts. One vote per badge and visitor; no account needed.
Best time to visit
What's missing on this page?
Share a tip to find it
Share a local tradition or story
Suggest a correction
Suggest the right map location
Report a duplicate page
Ask a question
Do not include personal data. See our privacy notice.
Around Browneshill Megalithic Tomb
Other heritage nearby
- Carlow CastleCastle · 3.7 km
- Sleaty ChurchAncient church · 4.7 km
- Saint Fiac's WellHoly well · 4.7 km
- Kellistown Round TowerRound tower · 6.0 km
- Shrule CastleCastle · 6.2 km
- St Patrick's WellHoly well · 6.3 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 12 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 8 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 6 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 4 monastic sitesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 2 high crossesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 holy wellArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- Oak Park LoopWalking Trail · 3.7 km · nearest point 3.3 km
- The Columban Way - Nine Stones to MaganyPilgrim Path · 50.2 km · nearest point 3.5 km
- Clogrennane Wood LoopWalking Trail · 2.4 km · nearest point 8.2 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- ClogrennanForests · 8.8 km
- Mullaghreelan WoodForests · 11 km
- CarlowWalled towns · 3.4 km
- CastledermotWalled towns · 8.7 km
Other attractions nearby
- Oak Park Forest ParkNature and Wildlife · 3.1 km
- Carlow CathedralAbbeys and Monastery · 3.1 km
- Carlow County MuseumMuseums and Attraction · 3.2 km
- St. Patrick's Trail - Driving RouteHistoric Houses and Castle · 3.2 km
What's on nearby
- Derek Ryan - Songwriter Show2026-11-08 · 3.1 km
- Autumn / Winter Cinemas at VISUAL2026-12-22 · 3.1 km