Shrough: Passage Tomb TS073-007

Shrough Passage Tomb is just north-west of a trig point on the summit of Moanour Mountain; about 7km south-west of Tipperary town. It is a National Monument (no.548) and owned by the state. There is a chamber but no signs of a passage. It is surrounded by a forestry plantation that in 2008 had been felled and was being replanted.

South is roughly indicated by the last dip in the mountain chain [Pic].

North seems to be indicated by a small hilltop in the dip between a pair of larger hills [Pic].

The chamber axis indicates sunrises of the equinoctial period. Sliabh na Mban (Slievenamon), with a cairn on its top, accurately marks the equinox itself.

The Galty mountains occupy the south-east and south. They form a useful scale for both winter sun rises and south lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. moon rises. Major standstillLunistice positions vary cyclically over an 18.6 year period but are fairly static for more than a year at either end of the range occurs at the southern end of the southern top of Galty More, the highest of the range.

From here, winter cross-quarters are marked by the foot of the south slope of Slievereagh. From the sites on Duntryleague Hill it moves to "The Pinnacle" at the top.

The minor half of the lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. range and part of the solar cycle are well marked by the distant Ballyhoura mountains but a stand of unfelled trees obscured far south-west.

Duntryleague Hill is 6.66km to the west-south-west.

Cairn LI049-078 is on the hilltop.

Passage Tomb LI049-077 is on the western ridge, against the shoulder of the upper hill.

The west, north-west and north-east were not surveyed from this site due to poor visibility.

There is distant horizon lurking in the haze and cloud but nearer hills and valleys also make useful markers.

• Knockroe Passage Tomb is about 56km to the east, beside another tributary of the River Suir.

Technical Notes | Top

---

References

• Archaeological Survey of Ireland, record details. www.archaeology.ie/archaeological-survey-ireland
• DE VALERA, RUAIDHRÍ & Ó'NUALLÁIN, SEÁN 1982 Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland, Volume IV: Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary. Dublin: Stationary Office. p101.
• HERITY, M. 1974 Irish Passage Graves. Dublin: Irish University Press. p262.
• Ó'NUALLÁIN, SEÁN & CODY, EAMON 1987 Passage Tombs in the Suir Valley Region. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 117:69-83, 76-78.