Knockroe Passage Tomb

National Monument No. 655.

On a gentle W facing slope, 120m E of the Lingaun River, surrounded by pasture. There are very good views of hills to the SE-S-SW and of Slievenamon to the W, with Baunfree passage tomb (KK034-031----) on Kilmacoliver Hill being visible 3.6km to the SSE and the cairn (TS078-001----) on Slivevenamon being visible 11km to the WSW. The monument is described by Carrigan (1905, vol. 4, 324-5), who mentions a lane cutting across the centre of the ‘Coshel’. It is described by Ó Nualláin and Cody (1987, vol. 117, 71-4) as a roughly circular, though quite overgrown, mound (diam. 27m; H 0.7-1m), defined by kerbstones, with two passages, one in the SW (L 3.5m; Wth at entrance 0.2m widening to 1m at rear), consisting of 12 orthostats, and the other smaller passage in the SE. Decoration on some of the kerbstones and on the orthostats of the SW tomb was noted (ibid., 71). Between 1990 and 1995 four seasons of archaeological excavation (Licence No. E000554) were carried out (O'Sullivan 1991, 40; 1992, 31; 1993, vol. 123, 5-18; 1995, 49-50; 1996, 51). It was found that the cairn was constructed on top of a raised earthen platform, which was created by scarping the slope (O’Sullivan 1993, vol. 123, 9). The cairn material was composed of three layers, the lower consisting of boulders (avg. diam. 0.3-0.4m) embedded in a dark reddish-purple soil which was overlaid by a layer of smaller stones (O’Sullivan 2011, No. 53). Over this lies a top layer of small stones which appear to be the result of relatively modern field clearance activity (ibid.). The SW tomb, which has a curving entrance façade, is larger and more elaborate than the SE tomb, having sophisticated decoration on many of its orthostats, as well as being aligned with the setting sun of the mid-Winter solstice (ibid.). The SE tomb was fully revealed during the excavations and it became evident that, unlike the SW tomb, this cruciform tomb (L 2.9m; Wth 2.2m) never had a passage extending to the edge of the kerbing of the mound (O’Sullivan 1993, vol. 123, 9). Also, only two of the orthostats of the SE tomb are decorated (ibid.). During the excavations considerable quantities of cremated bone were recovered from both tombs, though especially the SW tomb, as well as bone and antler pins, beads and pendants (ibid.). The lower part of a Carrowkeel Bowl and sherds of other Neolithic vessels were recovered from the SE tomb (ibid.). Fragments of Beaker pottery were recovered between the SE tomb and the kerbstones and a Food Vessel was found in the SW tomb (ibid.). The passage tomb art on the orthostats and kerbstones is described in detail by O’Sullivan (1987, vol. 117, 84-95).