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In the heart of the Burren in County Clare lies the oldest dated megalithic monument in Ireland.
The Poulnabrone Dolmen has stood tall on a high plateau amidst the karst limestone landscape of the Burren for between 5,200 and 5,800 years. Now that’s impressive. Even more impressive is the thought of Neolithic settlers somehow manoeuvring the two large portal stones and massive horizontal capstone into position, moving and placing those massive boulders, some of which weigh up to 1.5 tonnes.
In Irish, the name Poulnabrone means “the hole of sorrows”– a fitting name for a sacred burial place. Excavations at the site in the 1980s found the remains of 33 people, and radiocarbon dating has shown that the tomb was in use for about 600 years. In addition to human remains, archaeologists found ancient treasures, including a stone axe, arrowheads, beads, a bone pendant, quartz crystals and pieces of pottery. You can see many of these artefacts at the Clare Museum in nearby Ennis.
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Poulnabrone Dolmen, County Clare
Need to know: Poulnabrone Dolmen
Access to the Poulnabrone Dolmen is open all year and admission is free.
Visitors can access the dolmen via a short walk from the free car park.
A site warden is usually present and provides information to visitors.
