452 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Feenagh, Creevagh, GleniDshen, Derreen, Iskancullin tell the tale 

 clearly enough. The great free-standing dolmen does not occur ; and, 

 as we pointed out, the massive cover of the Derrymore monument 

 very probably lay on a drift-bank, and the sides ^vere inserted by 

 excavation. Borlase advances a theory that, in Irish monuments of 

 several compartments lowering eastward, as at Eallicphunta and 

 Caheraphuca, the covers were got into position by moving them over 

 the lower structures ; he then suggests that, in the course of time, 

 the smaller and lighter compartments were removed, leaving the 

 massive western chamber standing by itself. With all deference to 

 his authority, we see little reason for this view — at least in the case of 

 the Clare dolmens. 



Dressed Edges and Opes. — In a number of cases the tops of the 

 sides have been chipped so as to give a fairly straight sloping line on 

 which the cover rests evenly. This is noticeable in the dolmens 

 of Eerneens (western) ; Eaur (both) ; Creevagh ; Cooleaniore ; Deer- 

 park ; Eannagh (northern) ; Gortlecka (southern) ; Cragballyconoal 

 (southern); Parknabinnia ; Eallyganner ; Caherblonick; Cappagh- 

 kennedy, and others. We found no example outside the north-west 

 district. Other traces of "mason-work" are found in the chipped 

 " scoops " in the end-slabs, in the holes and slits in other slabs, and the 

 picking of at least one inner surface. The opes have been regarded 

 as " ghost-doors," being usually in the ends or partitions of the cists ; 

 we have found at Deerpark and Creevagh a scoop and a removed 

 corner in the eastern slab. The exactly similar arrangement of 

 these opes (the scoop in the middle of the north edge, the removed 

 corner to the south) can hardly be accidental ; we also note a 

 natural scoop to the north in the east end-slab of Iskancullin dolmen, 

 while at Poulaphuca both top corners are cut away. 



The holes in the slabs are probably altogether or partly natural ; 

 we find examples in the west end of the south-west cist of Leanna, 

 which was once covered by a cairn, and in the south side at Caher- 

 blonick (this last is evidently worked "), and that of the north cist 

 of Commons. 



Akin to these are the long natural slits so carefully selected and 

 arranged opposite to each other in the eastern dolmen of Eallyganner, 

 and the fallen one at Eannagh; one also occurs at Iskancullin. 

 Whatever be the nature of the " ghost-doors," it is most impro- 

 bable that they were made after the erection of the dolmen, while 

 the dressed edges, of course, were made before the cover was put 

 upon them. Though the sides seem to have been selected for their 



