Clondalkin Round Tower

Clondalkin Round Tower is one of only four towers to be found in Dublin.

The site of the tower dates back to a monastery which was founded by St Mochua in the 7th century.

Considered one of the oldest towers in the country Clondalkin is dated between 8th/9th Century.

The narrow tower (considered the narrowest in the country) rises to a height of over 27 meters.

The doorway is 3.9 meters above pavement level.

The towers most unusual feature is the skirt like bulge around the base, this feature is not replicated on any other tower in Ireland. It is thought to have been added after the tower was built maybe to add support to the narrow structure.   

As the tower is located on a very busy street you would need to park in a nearby car park.

My visit was an early Sunday morning hence no traffic in the shots.

Cunard Portal Tomb

Cunard Portal Tomb is one of Dublin's lesser know tombs - this is probably due to the fact that the site does not appear on the current OSI maps.

The small but compact tomb is 1.6 metres in height.  
The portal stones are missing and just three chamber wall stones remain.
The capstone is 2.2 metres and diamond shaped. 

The setting for this site is nothing short of stunning and although it is close to the road getting up close is not so easy.

For visiting you will have two main problems:-
1. You can't see the tomb from the road (trust my map it will bring you close enough to see it-click on the location tab).
2. The terrain, even after a dry spell and on a very hot day was still saturated in parts (also do not wear shorts as the mountain is covered in low gorse).

Access - The road is very narrow so it is important to park carefully. As I have already mentioned, click on the location tab underneath the images and you will find it.

Boherboy Stone Pair

This great little stone pair can be found right beside the road on the main Tallaght Saggart B82 road.

I remember having these stones pointed out to me many years ago (family living close by) and in the intervening years I have driven by them many times until this summer I finally pulled over for a closer look.
  
The pair are known locally as Adam and Eve and they do have a real male female look about them.
The bigger stone Eve is 1.3 meters high with the angled Adam stone just slightly smaller.

Access - the stones are located in a field which is beside a bad bend on the road.
A little further down the road towards Saggart is a wide kerbside where it is safe to park and then walk back up to the site.
The stones can be seen clearly from the road and the gate into the field is very close to the stone pair. 

Ballybrack Portal Tomb

This small but cute megalith has existed for over four and a half thousand years. The past few years have not been so kind to this wee fellow who now that the graffiti has been cleaned away, is now under threat from bonfire's which are being lit under the capstone. At this rate i don't think this great little tomb will last another four and  a half years. So if your in Dublin catch it while you can !.

Brenanstown Portal Tomb

This Portal Tomb (sometimes called Glendruid or Brenastown Dolmen) is thought to date from 2,500 BC, it is located in a stunning valley. Close by is a stream which gives you a perfect soundtrack to view this superb site. The structure consists of twin portal stones and a door stone supporting a massive capstone. The height of the Tomb is close to 11 ft and the capstone is said to weigh around 45 tons. On the top of the capstone are two deep channels which run to the side, if (as is sometimes claimed) the capstone was used as a druids altar these may have been of use to release the flow of blood from a human sacrifice OR maybe they were just rain drains.
If you do visit this site remember it is at the back of a private residence so please ask first.