Knockeen Portal Tomb facts for kids
The Knockeen Portal Tomb is a very old and special stone structure in Knockeen, County Waterford, Ireland. It's like a giant stone doorway! This amazing monument is the biggest dolmen (which is another name for a portal tomb) in County Waterford. It has two large top stones, called capstones. Many people think it's one of the best examples of a dolmen in Ireland.
What Does the Knockeen Tomb Look Like?
The Knockeen Portal Tomb is made from five huge upright stones. It also has two very large stones on top, called capstones. There's a special stone at the front, called a doorstone. This doorstone stands tall but doesn't hold up the main weight of the tomb. It's about the same size as the other four tall standing stones.
This ancient monument stands about 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) high. It is also about 2.1 meters (7 feet) wide. The tall upright stones, called orthostats, are nearly 2.8 meters (9 feet) tall. They form a small, enclosed space inside the tomb. The two capstones on top lie almost flat.
You can get inside the tomb through a special keyhole-shaped opening. This entrance is at ground level and is about 0.8 meters (2.6 feet) wide. This keyhole shape might mean that people placed special offerings inside long ago. The front of the tomb and its keyhole entrance face towards the northwest. A lower capstone forms a porch-like roof over this entrance. Vines and other plants grow over the doorstone and around the back of the tomb.
Why Was the Knockeen Tomb Built?
We don't know for sure why this tomb was built. It might have been a burial place for an important leader, perhaps a Déisi chieftain from a nearby area. Or, it could have been used for spiritual reasons.
People have noticed that the entrance of the tomb lines up with a hill called Sugarloaf. This alignment could mean it was used to track the sun or moon. Perhaps it was important during the summer solstice (the longest day of the year) or during full moon cycles. Some think local shamans or druids might have used the site for special rituals.
Protecting This Ancient Site
The Knockeen Portal Tomb is a very important historical site. It is now looked after by the state as a listed national monument. Its official number is 421.
Long ago, around the 1700s, the monument was part of the cemetery of Kilbride Church. This church is now in ruins in a field nearby. Today, the land around the tomb is used for cattle. Because of this, an electric fence runs very close to the monument.
The Knockeen Dolmen is part of a special path for visitors called "The Dolmen Drive." To reach it, you need to climb over a gate, walk across a field, and be careful around the electric fence.
