Legananny Dolmen

Legananny Dolmen is a megalithic dolmen or cromlech in the townland of Legananny in County Down, standing nine miles south-east of Banbridge and three miles north of Castlewellan. It is to be found on the slopes of Slieve Croob near the village of Leitrim,^[1] nestled between the farmer's stone wall and a back road.

The cromlech is a State Care Historic Monument.^[2]

Form

The monument is typical of dolmens in having a tripod form. It has a capstone over ten feet long and standing six feet from the ground.^[3]

The cromlech dates to the Neolithic period, making the monument approximately 5,000 years old. Such portal tombs were funerary sites for the disposal of the dead in Neolithic society. The three supporting stones are unusually long and there are slight traces of a cairn which must have been far more extensive. Some urns were found underneath.^[4]

The name of the townland, Legananny is derived from the Gaelic Liagán Áine, meaning 'Áine's standing stone'^[5] and is therefore named after this dolmen.