Recently I paid a visit to a site I had wanted to see for a long time; standing in the shadow of the Mourne Mountains pictures of the Goward Dolmen had stuck firmly in my memory from the moment I first saw them. This collapsed portal tomb and its mind-boggling 50 tonne capstone are situated in a charming spot which although hard to find due to poor signage only adds to its secretive nature! The tomb has been dated to approx 2,500 BC and is based in an area rich in megalithic structures. The capstone is 4m long and 3m wide, standing to a height of 4.3 metres. The capstone has slid side-wards and the exposed burial chamber measures 2.5m in length. During excavation in 1834 a flint arrowhead and a cremation urn were unearthed. The dolmen is also known locally as ‘Pat Kearney’s Big Stone’ in relation to a farmer who once inhabited a small house right beside this glorious megalith, the scant remains of which can still be seen a few metres down slope.

GPS: 54.21309, -6.09433