The Tipperary Antiquarian

I recently got to visit this large enclosure near Dromineer in Co. Tipperary.  It is described on archaeology.ie as follows  "Situated on relatively high ground overlooking Lough Derg to the NE, in undulating pastureland. A large, roughly circular area (dims. 132m N-S; 163m E-W) enclosing undulating terrain which rises to a gentle summit in the NW quadrant. There is a subrectangular hollow (dims. 7.5m x c. 7.3m) at the top of the summit. The enclosure is defined by a much-denuded internal bank (Wth 3.5m; int. H 0.43m; ext. H 1.2m), an intervening fosse (Wth 4.8m; D 0.43m) and a low outer bank (Wth 4.4m) surviving in the SE quadrant only. Drystone walling built up against the external face of the inner bank in the NW quadrant, much of which has collapsed, appears to be a later feature." It was named on the 1840s OS map as "Meadow". At approximately 4 acres in size it is massive, much bigger than any ring-fort.  The current townland name is Shannonvale but its old nam...

I wrote previously about links between Egypt and Ireland showing that many of the claims are tenuous at best here . One piece of evidence often used is the folklore surrounding Scotia's Grave outside Tralee in Co. Kerry. There is no doubt that folklore exists purporting that this is the site of an Egyptian princess named Scotia. I visited the site early this year and in my opinion it doesn't look archaeological. How the whole thing came about I'm not sure really. There are similar sized stones just about 50m along the riverbank and it looks to me as if what is now described as Scotia's Grave has maybe been put together much more recently than when she would have been in Ireland anyway! Many of the stones appear to just lie on the surface rather than go down to any real depth. There is a large earthfast stone nearby with a lot of graffiti carved into it. Scota's Grave Scota's Grave Stone with modern graffiti Modern stones located along the riverside near the ...