Knockmany Passage Tomb Info & Photo Gallery

Name: Knockmany Passage Grave & Decorated Stones : Annia's Cove, Aine Cove

Location: Knockmany Forest Park, Augher, Co. Tyrone, Ireland.

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Access: Can be reached by an uphill path through the forest from the top car park on the NW side of the hill, or for a good walk from the lower car park.

Description: The Site has a superb view of the Clogher Valley. The covering cairn was placed there in 1959 in order to protect the site but in doing so they destroyed the site. Excavation says that there was a stone cairn on top, with an earthen bank covering?. 

Some of the stones have circles, spirals and zigzags. One of the best surviving examples of this art in Ulster. There is access to the summit at all times and you can see into the chamber to look at the stones but the chamber is closed off and locked.  Contact the Historic Monuments and Buildings Branch of the Ulster Government (Department of the Environment) well ahead of your planned visit if you wish to examine the stones in detail.

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We found it a very disappointing site when we visited it in June 2001, we think the concrete building should be removed, and something more in line with the original design constructed, such as a modern cairn covering, as that 1950's building is so ugly... what were they thinking of? 

How Knockmany looked in the late nineteenth century, if only it looked like that now....

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photo: Department of Environment for Northern Ireland

photo by R.J. Welch, Ulster Museum
 

Traditional Lore: The tomb is linked to the name of the Goddess Áine, who is one of the most ancient Goddesses of Ireland.  There are references to Aine at Dunany Point in Co. Louth, as well as Knockainey in Co. Limerick.  Áine is also linked with Bith one of the ancestor gods of Ireland.

Information: You may be able to view more nineteenth century photographs and get more detailed information if you visit the Ulster Museum at Botanic Gardens, Belfast.

Measurements: 

Lat. 54° 26'N:   Long. 07°09.2'W

Other Sites close by

Passage Tombs - Cloghfin    Carnagat  Cullamore  Derrydrummond hill  Mullaghnahush Grania's Cave Dromore Lower

Standing Stones - Carr Corick Bridge Findermore Greaghnagee Abbey Stone Aghintain Radergan Beragh Mossfield Lisboy  

Hill Forts - Mallabeny Clogher 

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