Sheegouna

Sheegouna cairn & megalithic tomb - Brenormore, near Kilsheelan, South Tipperary. Sheegouna translates as "fairy mound of the cow". 

When I climbed Slievenamon back about 10 years ago I noticed this other cairn on the OS map down on a lower peak to the north of the main peak. I headed down to it and spotted an unusual (not marked on the OS map) structure on the way.  It turns out that structure was an unclassified megalithic tomb. I knew it had to be something alright. 

The description of the cairn or "fairy mound". From archaeology.ie "In heather on top of 550m spot-height, on peak of Sheegouna. Oval mound (dims. 18.65m N-S; 22.85m E-W; max. H 2.55m) of angular limestones. Stones removed from N-half to build up four small shelters in the S-half. Small pile of stones possibly re-constructed on the N-side. Bilberry bushes around perimeter. Small stone (H 0.35m; Wth 0.75m), pyramidal in shape is located 12m due N of cairn and is similar to the triangular-shaped stone associated with the nearby wedge-tomb (TS071-054----). A megalithic tomb (TS071-54----) is located 112m to SW. Cairn (TS071-052----) on Knochahunna and cairn (TS078-001----) on Slievenamon are located 1km to NNW and SSW respectively. The passage tombs at Knockroe (KK034-019001-) and Baunfree (KK034-031----), Co. Kilkenny are located 10km to the E and 13KM to NE respectively."

About the megalithic tomb it is described as being "In upland heath, on a SE-facing slope of Sheegouna, on the eastern side of Slievenamon Mountain. Monument identified during field survey. A rectangular structure (overall dims. 2.8m N-S; 2.5m E-W; internal dims. 2.25m E-W; 1.1m N-S tapering to 0.6m towards the rear) which opens out to the E. The side walls are constructed of a combination of orthostats (H 0.77-1.1m) and rubble stone wall (T 0.8m) and are leaning into the interior. There is one lintel (dims. L 0.92m; T c. 0.4m) towards the rear supported on two orthostats and another collapsed stone (L 0.75m; T 0.36m) at the rear which appears to have been another lintel. The entrance is defined on either side by orthostats. A wall (int. H 0.9m; ext. H 0.6m) runs from the entrance northwards, revetting the hillslope. Cairn (TS071-021----) on Sheegouna is c. 112m to NE. The passage tombs at Knockroe (KK034-019001-) and Baunfree (KK034-031----), Co. Kilkenny are located 10km to the E and 13KM to ENE respectively. A small triangular-shaped stone (H 0.35m; T 0.42m) is located 18m to the WSW and is similar to the triangular-shaped stone associated with the nearby cairn (TS071-021----). "