82 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



The Dolmen. 



Though Borlase, and later on Mr. P. J. Lynch, have so fully described 

 and the latter has planned (illustrating with Dr. George Fogerty's beautiful 

 photograph) the long dolmen on Cromwell HilP — the paper in the pages of 

 the extinct " Limerick Field Club " is virtually lost to scholars outside of 

 Ireland — I may therefore briefly note that the monument is an cdle'e couverte, 

 a type rarer in northern Munster than the cist. The axis lies north-east 

 and south-west, and it stands on the bold north-eastern spur of the hill. 

 Four slabs (rarely rising more than 3 feet over the field) support three 

 covers, one still in situ. Near the north-western corner lies a slab 8 feet 

 6 inches long by 5 feet wide. If (as I think probable) this was set upright, 

 the structure was very like the noble example at Creevagh, in Burreu, 

 Co. Clare, but without its ring enclosure, rock-cut avenue, and neighbouring 

 tumulus. It is about 25 feet long and 9 to 7 feet wide, tapering eastward. 

 The western stones are set across the line of the side slabs ; five of the latter 

 remained to each side in 1839. The unmoved cover is 9 feet by 6 feet, by 

 15 inches thick. There are three irregular stones set near the south-eastern 

 corner. I saw no trace of a covering mound, but such probably existed. A 

 well gushes out on the northern slope, between it and the Sidedn. 



Though so close to the " Mound of the Fiana " and bearing the name of 

 " Diarmuid and Grainne's bed," no definite tradition attaches to the site. As 

 is well known, the dolmens are the only type of remains which are not 

 elucidated by our ancient literatui'e. It is a problem to us, for the awe (if 

 such it was) of our early authors did not keep them silent about the tumuli, 

 gods' mounds, pillars, and circles. I think the Eev. Geoffrey Keating, about 

 1630, first discussed the dolmens, and from him the wide acceptance of their 

 " Diarmuid and Grainne " origin seems to date. 



He writes that Suidhe Finn, or Slicibh na ban, was called after Finn 

 Ua Baoisene, and that Zeaiaidh Dhiarmadha Vi Uhuibhie, in Ui Fiachrach 

 Aidne, was named from Dermot. He adds that these facts prove that such 

 persons lived, and mentions " flagstones, supported on pillar-stones, or idol- 

 altars," " the populace call them beds of the Fian."- 



The rare combination of a rich mass of very early literature (locating and 

 gi\dng us tales, earlier in some eases, even in their present forms, than the 

 ninth century) relating to the primitive monuments of the districts of 



> Ord. Survey Letters, Co. Limerick (R. I. Acad. MS.), p. 409; Borlase, "Dolmens 

 of Ireland," i, p. 49 ; Mr. P. J. Lynch, "Limerick Field Club," iii, p. 54. 

 = History (Ir. Texts Soc), ii, pp. 325, 349, 825. 



