Overview
The village name, Achadh na Cloiche, means ‘field of the stones’, and the portal tomb near the village is what the name refers to. It is a rare monument with two capstones, and it is the reason to come. Around it the village offers an easy half-day: a lakeside boardwalk at Leebeen Park and a short waterfall trail on the River Pulliness, all within a few kilometres.
The dolmen
Raised somewhere between 4000 and 3000 BC, the Aughnacliffe Dolmen is unusual for carrying two capstones where most portal tombs have one. The larger roofstone measures about 3.2m by 2.3m; the smaller one, 1.7m by 2.2m, sits beneath it, and the whole thing stands around 2m high. One of the original portal stones at the front has been lost, but the surviving structure still marks a Neolithic burial place. Local tradition ties it, along with the nearby Cleenrath dolmen, to the legend of Diarmaid and Gráinne resting on their flight from Fionn MacCumhaill.
The tomb stands on private farmland, often with livestock in the field. Use the signposted approach, respect gates, livestock and any access notices, close gates behind you and keep dogs under control. Leave the stonework undisturbed. Early or late light rakes across the stone and shows its scale far better than midday glare.
The walks
Leebeen Park
Leebeen Park has a 1.5 km loop with a boardwalk beside Lough Leebeen, plus a playground and an outdoor gym. The council describes the park path as multi-access. Swans and ducks work the lake, and Leebeen Park has parking.
The waterfall trail
The marked waterfall trail starts at the community centre car park. Follow white arrows on blue towards Pulliness waterfall on the short linear branch. Longford’s visitor guide also maps a separate 1.4 km riverside loop. Take care on wet surfaces and keep away from the water’s edge. Come after rain, when the river is up, as in a dry spell the cascade is modest.
The village and its churches
Aughnacliffe is small and farming-led, with sport at its centre through Colmcille GFC. Its churches carry a tangle of dates worth getting right. St Thomas’s Church of Ireland, in the neighbouring townland of Rathmore, was built around 1829. The Catholic parish records go back to 1834, but the present St Columcille’s is later: a Hiberno-Romanesque church designed by Ralph Henry Byrne and built in 1939 to replace an 1832 chapel, using stone salvaged from the demolished Derrycassin House.
Planning your visit
- Getting there: Aughnacliffe is in north County Longford, roughly 22 km from Longford town. Leebeen Park has parking, and Sport Ireland lists the village community centre car park for the waterfall trail.
- Public transport: TFI Local Link route 865 serves Aughnacliffe from Longford and Lough Gowna. Check the current timetable for your return.
- Accessibility: the dolmen approach and the waterfall trail are unpaved and uneven, so wear footwear with grip.
- Nearby: pair it with the Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre and its preserved Iron Age bog road, or a drive along the Lough Gowna shoreline.