Corracloona Court Tomb

Corracloona Court Tomb, commonly called Prince Connell's Grave, is a chamber tomb and National Monument located in the north of County Leitrim in the West of Ireland.

Location

Corracloona Court Tomb is located on a slope overlooking the northern tip of Lough MacNean, 3.3 km southeast of Kiltyclogher.

History

Corracloona Court Tomb was built c. 2000–1500 BC, in the early Bronze Age.
It is locally known as Prince Connell's Grave. There are several nobles of this name in Irish legend; the most likely candidate is Conall Gulban, 5th-century founder of the Cenél Conaill. However, another legend places Conall Gulban's grave at the dolmen at Fenagh. In any case, both Corracloona and Fenagh monuments are thousands of years older than Conall Gulban.
It was first excavated in 1953.

Description

Prince Connell's Grave is usually described as a court tomb, although some see it as a dolmen or Wedge-shaped gallery grave. It has a small forecourt and only one burial chamber, with a large slab separating the two. This slab has a large hole in the bottom, called a "kennel-hole"; this is similar to some tombs in southern France, and may have been used to add additional burials, speak to the dead or leave offerings. However, the hole could be an accidental break.