The Dolmen of the Four Maols is a

cist In archeology, a cist (; also kist ; ultimately from ; cognate to ) or cist grave is a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead. In some ways, it is similar to the deeper shaft tomb. Examples occur ac ...

and

National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a sp ...

located in

County Mayo County Mayo (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, County Mayo, Mayo, now ge ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

Location

The Dolmen of the Four Maols is located on Primrose Hill overlooking the

River Moy The River Moy () is a river in the west of Ireland. Name Ptolemy's ''Geography'' (2nd century AD) described a river called Λιβνιου (''Libniu'', perhaps from *''lei''- "flow"), which probably referred to the River Moy. The Moy is first ...

, southwest of Ballina, outside the

Road Safety Authority The Road Safety Authority (RSA; ) is a state agency of the Irish Government to promote road safety within Ireland. The agency has functions devolved from the Department of Transport. History and Governance The Road Safety Authority was establ ...

office.

History

This

was erected c. 2000 BC. According to Irish legend, in the early 7th century Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin was

King of Connacht The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the ''cóiced'' (variously translated as portion, fifth, province) of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named ...

. The rightful king,

Cellach of Killala Cellach of Killala (fl. mid-6th century) is supposed to be an early Bishop of Killala, in Ireland. Cellach appears among the saints of the Uí Fiachrach in ''Genealogiae Regum et Sanctorum Hiberniae'', where Walsh suggests he may have been the ...

, had become a priest and later bishop of Kilmoremoy (Ballina). Four of Guaire Aidne's brothers murdered him; they are known as the four Maols from the Irish word ''maol'', "bald", referring to their

tonsure Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...

s – they were students of Cellach's (Mael Mac Deoraidh, Maelcroin, Maeldalua, and Maelseanaigh). The four Maols were quartered at Ardnaree and then, supposedly, buried on Primrose Hill under the Dolmen of the Four Maols.

Description

The massive capstone rests on three stones forming three sides of the square chamber. A fourth stone (probably the fourth side) lies nearby.

References

{{Reflist National monuments in County Mayo Archaeological sites in County Mayo Burial monuments and structures in Ireland Megalithic monuments in Ireland