Loughash Giant's Grave, 13 Oct 2024 - v1 Short
Loughash is in the Electoral Division of Loughash, in Civil Parish of Donaghedy, in the Barony of Strabane Lower, in the County of Tyrone. Loughash has an area of 477.56 hectares / 4.7756 km² or 1.84 square miles.
Loughash wedge tomb known as the Giant’s Grave lies East South East from Donemana on the main B48 Lisnaragh Road from Donemana to Plumbridge.
From Donemana its about 2.8 miles (4.5km). You’ll pass the turn off on your right for Moor Lough. Take the next left turn onto the Loughash Road. It’s well sign posted with brown tourist signs, “Wedge Tomb”. The lough is visible on your right. Travel approximately 910m (1/2 mile) along this road keep an watch to your left, a gate at the side of the road, has a sign pointing to the tomb which is about 50m up the field.
Coordinates: 54.852691, -7.247831.
Parking is very limited as the road is very narrow and really only suitable for single traffic. About 20m past the gate there’s a Y-junction, that where I parked, it’s just wide enough not to obstruct other traffic who should easily see your parked vehicle.
Known on the OS maps as 'Giants Grave', this burial tomb dates from around 4500 years ago. It is called a wedge tomb because it narrows in size from front to back and also decreases in height. There are twenty-two wedge tombs in Co. Tyrone and over 500 in Ireland as a whole. This site is built on a terrace on a hillside sloping down from the north with Loughash as the backdrop to the south. The entrance facing west has a double portal arrangement leading to the burial chamber. Originally the whole gallery would have been roofed with capstones, but only one now remains. It is enclosed by a wedge-shaped cairn. Professor Oliver Davies (b.1905 d.1986) excavated this site from the 10th to 18th July 1938 being assisted by a foreman and two other men via grants from Belfast (Ulster) Museum and the Goverment Unemployment Relief Scheme. Premision was granted by the land owner Mr. J. Devine.
The cairn is about 10m long by 7.5m wide at the front and 4m wide at the back. The facade has two good stones about 1.4m high. Between them, forming a double portal, and a third stone less than 50cm high. There is a single lintel in place near the front of the burial chamber. The total size of the two chambers is about 6.6m long by 1.7m wide. There are many chamber stones in place as well as outer walling. The end of the cairn is rounded to give the common horseshoe shape found in many wedge tombs.
The structural stone are mostly local schist, which flakes away when buried, but hardens on exposure, a few are quartzise which occures locally.
Several artefacts were uncovered in the gallery including a mould for a palstave (a type of axe), a bronze blade and a small copper ring. Fragments from four beaker pots and about five other vessels were found along with various flint flakes. There was some charcoal and cremated bone, the remains of perhaps three individuals, the main burial being in a pit towards the back of the burial gallery.
Dr Oliver Davies, Archaeoligist
Oliver (Olly) Davies (b.1905 d.1986) credentials included a BA in Archaelogy, an MA in British Prehistory and a PhD for an investigation of Iron Age communities in central and western Hampshire, all gained at Cardiff University.
His main research interests lie in the understanding of later prehistoric settlement (particularly hillforts), farming and social patterns through a consideration of landscape relationships identified through remote sensing techniques. He has taken a lead role in the development of LIDAR as an archaeological prospection tool in Wales and has published widely on the use of this technique for identifying archaeology. He is also particularly interested in the later prehistoric, Roman and early medieval settlement of Glamorgan (Wales) and has undertaken extensive aerial reconnaissance and air photo mapping in the area.
From 1931 onwards he also worked systematically on excavations in Northern Ireland, principally prehistoric sites but also on a few medieval sites. This work led to his contributing to the Preliminary survey of Ancient Monuments of Northern Ireland which was published by H.M. Stationery Office in 1940. He was also a member of the Northern Ireland Monuments Council from 1930 to 1947. From 1940 to 42 he carried out a survey of the archaeological sites in the border counties of the Republic of Ireland and his reports were deposited in the National Museum in Dublin, and a few of these were published. From 1946 to 47 he resumed his work on the sites in Northern Ireland and contributed to the publication of the complete surveys of several counties. This project has subsequently been continued by his successors. In 1937 he re-founded the Ulster Journal of Archaeology and edited it from 1938 to 1942 and 1946 to 47. The 33rd volume (1970) of the Journal of the Ulster Archaeological Society was dedicated as a Festschrift to him and to Professor B.B. Evans. From 1942 to 1945 he was seconded from Belfast to the British Council in Istanbul and from 1943 to 45 he was attached to the University there. During this period he visited a few ancient mining sites in Anatolia, also known as Asia Minor (Turkey) during his vacations.
Loughash
Loughash lough nestles in the mountains above Donemana in County Tyrone. Easily accessible from the B48 Lisnaragh Road, traveling from Plumbridge to Donemana. This fifteen hectare (37 acre) lake was regularly stocked and provided excellent fishing for both brown and rainbow trout. The wading is easy and suitable for all age groupes. Boats are not available and boat fishing is not permitted. Limited parking is available at the southern end of the lough. The south-eastern and northern ends of the lough contain a great deal of common rushes (Juncaceae) and boggy ground so angling effort is generally restricted to the north-western and south-eastern shores. A footpath runs around the perimeter of the lough, allowing access to the northern shore from the car park.
This lough used to be part of the DAERA Public Angling Estate, however from 1st February 2022 Loughash is no longer part of DAERA. However, if you wish to fish this water you’ll still need a Loughs Agency game angling licence and all anglers will also require permission from ‘The Honourable The Irish Society’ who can be contacted via email: office@irishsociety.co.uk or by Tel: +44 (0) 287 0344 796 asking for Edward Montgomery.
Legal fishing methods are fly, spinning or worm. The fishing season is from 1st March to 20th October each year. A good number of anglers fish the sister lake nearby Moor Lough, however if you want solitude and quality fly fishing close to the margins, with an increased number of inverbrates and freshwater molluscs Loughash is the place to be.
Loughash Giant's Grave, 13 Oct 2024 - v1 Short
Loughash is in the Electoral Division of Loughash, in Civil Parish of Donaghedy, in the Barony of Strabane Lower, in the County of Tyrone. Loughash has an area of 477.56 hectares / 4.7756 km² or 1.84 square miles.
Loughash wedge tomb known as the Giant’s Grave lies East South East from Donemana on the main B48 Lisnaragh Road from Donemana to Plumbridge.
From Donemana its about 2.8 miles (4.5km). You’ll pass the turn off on your right for Moor Lough. Take the next left turn onto the Loughash Road. It’s well sign posted with brown tourist signs, “Wedge Tomb”. The lough is visible on your right. Travel approximately 910m (1/2 mile) along this road keep an watch to your left, a gate at the side of the road, has a sign pointing to the tomb which is about 50m up the field.
Coordinates: 54.852691, -7.247831.
Parking is very limited as the road is very narrow and really only suitable for single traffic. About 20m past the gate there’s a Y-junction, that where I parked, it’s just wide enough not to obstruct other traffic who should easily see your parked vehicle.
Known on the OS maps as 'Giants Grave', this burial tomb dates from around 4500 years ago. It is called a wedge tomb because it narrows in size from front to back and also decreases in height. There are twenty-two wedge tombs in Co. Tyrone and over 500 in Ireland as a whole. This site is built on a terrace on a hillside sloping down from the north with Loughash as the backdrop to the south. The entrance facing west has a double portal arrangement leading to the burial chamber. Originally the whole gallery would have been roofed with capstones, but only one now remains. It is enclosed by a wedge-shaped cairn. Professor Oliver Davies (b.1905 d.1986) excavated this site from the 10th to 18th July 1938 being assisted by a foreman and two other men via grants from Belfast (Ulster) Museum and the Goverment Unemployment Relief Scheme. Premision was granted by the land owner Mr. J. Devine.
The cairn is about 10m long by 7.5m wide at the front and 4m wide at the back. The facade has two good stones about 1.4m high. Between them, forming a double portal, and a third stone less than 50cm high. There is a single lintel in place near the front of the burial chamber. The total size of the two chambers is about 6.6m long by 1.7m wide. There are many chamber stones in place as well as outer walling. The end of the cairn is rounded to give the common horseshoe shape found in many wedge tombs.
The structural stone are mostly local schist, which flakes away when buried, but hardens on exposure, a few are quartzise which occures locally.
Several artefacts were uncovered in the gallery including a mould for a palstave (a type of axe), a bronze blade and a small copper ring. Fragments from four beaker pots and about five other vessels were found along with various flint flakes. There was some charcoal and cremated bone, the remains of perhaps three individuals, the main burial being in a pit towards the back of the burial gallery.
Dr Oliver Davies, Archaeoligist
Oliver (Olly) Davies (b.1905 d.1986) credentials included a BA in Archaelogy, an MA in British Prehistory and a PhD for an investigation of Iron Age communities in central and western Hampshire, all gained at Cardiff University.
His main research interests lie in the understanding of later prehistoric settlement (particularly hillforts), farming and social patterns through a consideration of landscape relationships identified through remote sensing techniques. He has taken a lead role in the development of LIDAR as an archaeological prospection tool in Wales and has published widely on the use of this technique for identifying archaeology. He is also particularly interested in the later prehistoric, Roman and early medieval settlement of Glamorgan (Wales) and has undertaken extensive aerial reconnaissance and air photo mapping in the area.
From 1931 onwards he also worked systematically on excavations in Northern Ireland, principally prehistoric sites but also on a few medieval sites. This work led to his contributing to the Preliminary survey of Ancient Monuments of Northern Ireland which was published by H.M. Stationery Office in 1940. He was also a member of the Northern Ireland Monuments Council from 1930 to 1947. From 1940 to 42 he carried out a survey of the archaeological sites in the border counties of the Republic of Ireland and his reports were deposited in the National Museum in Dublin, and a few of these were published. From 1946 to 47 he resumed his work on the sites in Northern Ireland and contributed to the publication of the complete surveys of several counties. This project has subsequently been continued by his successors. In 1937 he re-founded the Ulster Journal of Archaeology and edited it from 1938 to 1942 and 1946 to 47. The 33rd volume (1970) of the Journal of the Ulster Archaeological Society was dedicated as a Festschrift to him and to Professor B.B. Evans. From 1942 to 1945 he was seconded from Belfast to the British Council in Istanbul and from 1943 to 45 he was attached to the University there. During this period he visited a few ancient mining sites in Anatolia, also known as Asia Minor (Turkey) during his vacations.
Loughash
Loughash lough nestles in the mountains above Donemana in County Tyrone. Easily accessible from the B48 Lisnaragh Road, traveling from Plumbridge to Donemana. This fifteen hectare (37 acre) lake was regularly stocked and provided excellent fishing for both brown and rainbow trout. The wading is easy and suitable for all age groupes. Boats are not available and boat fishing is not permitted. Limited parking is available at the southern end of the lough. The south-eastern and northern ends of the lough contain a great deal of common rushes (Juncaceae) and boggy ground so angling effort is generally restricted to the north-western and south-eastern shores. A footpath runs around the perimeter of the lough, allowing access to the northern shore from the car park.
This lough used to be part of the DAERA Public Angling Estate, however from 1st February 2022 Loughash is no longer part of DAERA. However, if you wish to fish this water you’ll still need a Loughs Agency game angling licence and all anglers will also require permission from ‘The Honourable The Irish Society’ who can be contacted via email: office@irishsociety.co.uk or by Tel: +44 (0) 287 0344 796 asking for Edward Montgomery.
Legal fishing methods are fly, spinning or worm. The fishing season is from 1st March to 20th October each year. A good number of anglers fish the sister lake nearby Moor Lough, however if you want solitude and quality fly fishing close to the margins, with an increased number of inverbrates and freshwater molluscs Loughash is the place to be.