Westropp — Cists, Dolmens^ and Pillars of East Clare. 125 



Uorlase figures and describes the dolmen.' He lays stress on its ha^-ing 

 been called " Old Grania " by a woman ; but such names as " Granny's 

 beds " are not uncommon. O'Curry mentions it, with Drummin, as a 

 " broken giant's-grave." It is a long dolmen, consisting of a row of 

 seven blocks,^ extending for nearly 25 feet towards the E.N.E. They 

 are of irregular height ; but get lower eastward. The most western 

 is 6 feet 6 inches high, and has a slab set parallel to it in the interior. 

 Three of the covers still rest against the northern side ; and scarcely 

 any of the southern blocks are undisturbed,^ The first and highest 

 slab in the west end and the other blocks (save the second and foiirth, 

 Avhich are of grey conglomerate) are of green slate. 



(43). Knockshanvo, Kilseily Parish (0. S. Sheet 44, No. 13).— 

 This picturesque and perfect cist lies far up the hill-side, above the 

 Dromsillagh river in a rushy field, sheeted with scabious and bilberry, 

 while long ferns grow in its chamber. The ridge of Knockaphunta, 

 piu'ple with heather, rises boldly not far away to the north-west ; and 

 to the east, beyond a picturesque " screen " of fir-trees, we get a fine 

 view of Slieve Kimalta — the Keeper Hill — and its attendant ridges, and 

 the broken edge of Tipperary and Limerick to the serrated peaks of 

 the Galtees ; southward, we overlook the plateau and the valley of 

 the Drumsillagh stream, down to Trough. 



The monument is shown on the 1840 map as a large block 

 supported at its western end. Tradition says it was used for the mass 

 during the stress of the penal laws ; and a hollow near Knockaphunta 

 IS also said to have been a place of secret worship. 



The cist is of massive sand-stone slabs ; they measure respectively : 

 the northern, nearly 10 feet long by 16 inches to 18 inches thick, 

 and 3 feet 8 inclies high inside, the peat I'ising over a foot outside it ; 

 the southern, 7 feet 2 inches long and 13 inches thick, being the same 

 height ; it leans slightly outwards ; the east, 3 feet 4 inches long ; it is 

 slightly displaced ; and a slab 32 inches wide has been removed from 

 the south-east angle ; the west, 4 feet by 9 inches, and has fallen out. 

 The cist tapers from 3 feet 4 inches to 3 feet ; the cover does not slope, 

 and is a finely-shaped sandstone slab, from 4 feet 6 inches at the 

 west to 3 feet 3 inches at the east ; 7 feet 6 inches long, and 17 inches 

 to 18 inches thick ; it has curious corrugations and a small round hole, 

 perhaps an " elf mill," such as occurs in the cover of more than one 



^ " Dolmens of Ireland," vol. i., p. 97. View and plan. 



2 The " granite " mentioned by Mr. Boihise is, I think, a grey conglomerate 

 occurring elsewhere on the hills. 



3 See plan, p. 121, fig. 1, stipra ; also Plate viii., fig. 1. 



