Proleek Megalithic Tombs
Photo: DarranRaff · CC BY-SA 4.0
Megalithic tomb - portal tomb

Proleek Megalithic Tombs

Dolmain Phroilíg

Dolmen located in County Louth, Ireland.

  • Open to visitorsNMS Monuments to Visit
  • National MonumentIn State care
  • DateNot stated
  • FolkloreNone recorded
  • PhotoWikimedia Commons
Proleek, Co. Louth54.03720, -6.34830
Directions Map

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
  • Gallery
  • Cairn

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
  • Wear suitable footwear and clothingNational Monuments Service advice
  • Uneven ground: not suitable for everyone, especially wheelchair usersNational Monuments Service advice

Opening times and fees change: check with the operator before you go.

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About Proleek Megalithic Tombs

  1. over 5,000 years agoConstructed over 5,000 years ago in the Neolithic period, it is likely that the tomb…
  2. c. 4000 years agoDating from the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age period, c. 4000 years ago, the Proleek…

Where it is

  • Located to the south-west of the Cooley Mountains near the lower slopes of Black Mountain, Proleek portal tomb is one of the best-known and most iconic megalithic tombs in Ireland.

Its history

  • Constructed over 5,000 years ago in the Neolithic period, it is likely that the tomb contains burials and cremated remains of members of the earliest farming communities on the Cooley Peninsula.
  • Dating from the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age period, c. 4000 years ago, the Proleek wedge tomb is one of only two known examples in Co. Louth.

What you'll see

  • The tomb comprises three upright stones supporting an impressively large capstone delicately poised more than 2m above the ground and reputed to weigh as much as 40 tonnes.
  • The tomb is classified as a portal tomb on account of the two large, upright stones forming a portal or entrance, which faces north-west.
  • In its original condition the tomb may have been surrounded or partially surrounded by a stone mound or cairn, of which there is now no trace.
  • Wedge tombs are so called on account of their characteristic shape; in plan the long burial chamber or gallery narrows from front to rear, while in profile the tomb slopes downwards from front to rear.
  • In its original state the tomb would have been covered with a series of roofstones.
  • Only one roofstone now remains, covering the eastern end of the tomb.
  • The tomb is aligned roughly west-east, with a large stone closing the entrance at the west.
  • There are indications that originally there may have been a stone facade at the western end, flanking either side of the entrance, but today only one stone survives.
  • It is likely that the tomb would have been covered or partially covered with a mound of stones, but there is no trace of this today.

Stories and folklore

  • In more recent times the Proleek tomb was known locally as the ‘Giant’s Load’, allegedly on account of the similarity of its silhouette to a man stooped over from carrying a large load on his back.
  • The small stones lying on the capstone relate to a local tradition that if you successfully land three stones on top you will be married before the end of the year!

Nearby

  • Nearby are the remains of another megalithic tomb classified as a wedge tomb.

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 78 words

This portal-tomb is situated some 80m WNW of wedge-tomb (LH004-075----). It consists of a chamber, facing NW, represented by a massive roof stone resting on two portal stones and a side stone. The roof stone measures 3.8m by 3.2m and the portals are about 2.3m high. The side stone is buttressed by a modern stone and concrete support. No trace of a cairn is visible. (Borlase 1897, 305-7)

This is a National Monument, in state guardianship: No. 476.

Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Updated 17 July 2007 · Based on the both the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Louth. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.

More megalithic tombs nearby

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wedge tomb of Lurgankeel

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      Around Proleek Megalithic Tombs

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      • Tain WayLong Distance Waymarked Way · 40.3 km · nearest point 1.3 km
      • Ravensdale Forest - Ravensdale LoopWalking Trail · 1.2 km · nearest point 4.4 km
      • Annaloughan LoopWalking Trail · 6.0 km · nearest point 4.7 km

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