126 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



of tlie Swedisli dolmens, and even in some Irish ones. The axis of the 

 cist lies towards the E.N.E.^ 



KiLLOKEXNEDY. 



(44). KiLLOKEjfNEDY,- Killokennedy Parish (O.S. Sheet 44, No. 3). 

 — The townland and parish derive their names from the chxu'ch of the 

 O'Kennedys, a once powerful clan of the Hymhloid, expelled by the 

 O'Briens and Macnamaras after the battle of Dysert O'Dea, in 1318. 

 The church was probably founded by Cronan (perhaps of Tomgraney), 

 to whom its well was dedicated. Passing the steep bohereen past its 

 ivied and broken walls, we find the " giant's grave," high up the steep 

 hillside to the north. The dolmen stands on a little di'ift mound, 

 projecting from the slope, and is nearly 900 feet above the sea, and 

 650 above the road from Broadford to Kilbane. The hills rising 

 behind it up to Cragnamurragh, which is 1729 feet high, and Glen- 

 nagalliagh mountain, 1746 feet high, the highest point in county 

 Clare. A slip has taken place above, and partly buried the monument, 

 which is a "long grave." The outlook is very fine, far over Gleno- 

 mera to the Galtees, and Knockfierna ; flanked by the rounded hills 

 of Glennagalliagh and Cloonyconry ; southward, the view includes 

 the pleasing (if not strikingly picturesque) valley to Hurdleston. 



The complete monument is 17 feet long, or 27 feet if we include 

 a compartment at its western end, of which the two northern slabs 

 (6 feet 8 inches and 3 feet 6 inches long) remain. These are gi'eatly 

 distorted by the slipping of the earth. The west end is a strong 

 block, measuring (so far as we are able to reach among the other stones 

 in which it is embedded) 5 feet 10 inches long, 20 inches thick, and 

 at least 4 feet high. The main structure had three side slabs to the 

 south, about 5 feet 5 inches, 5 feet 10 inches, and 4 feet 6 inches long ; 

 the eastern is prostrate ; on it lie two other slabs, evidently the eastern 

 end slab and the cover. There are four cover blocks, each from 6 feet 

 to 6 feet 6 inches long, and partly buried on the north. A narrow 

 block, 5 feet 8 inches long, slopes out from the south-west angle, and 

 a great block of slate rock (evidently natural) projects diagonally to 

 the south-east, and a little stream runs down the face. It is hard to 

 give fui'ther measurements of a stnicture whose slabs lie piled two and 

 three deep ; but from the ends it seems to have tapered eastward from 

 7 feet 2 inches to 3 feet 3 inches. 



' Plan, p. 121, fig. 10, supra ; Plate viir., tig. 2. 

 - Killogennedid in the Papal Taxation, 1302. 



