Overview
Officially it is Shrough Passage Tomb, recorded by the National Monuments Service as a passage tomb in state care. Locally it has always been the Giant’s Bed. The surviving stones are on the Slievenamuck ridge, above the Glen of Aherlow in County Tipperary.
Archaeologists class it as a passage tomb, though the exposed capstone resting on uprights is why people have always called it a dolmen. Tombs of this kind date from the Neolithic, which makes it one of the oldest things you can read about in the county.
History & the name
Tombs like Shrough were built by Ireland’s earliest farming communities in the Neolithic, roughly 3500 to 3000 BC. They were not hidden away; they were set on ridges and hilltops to be seen across the country below, marking territory and holding the dead of a community.
The name is where the folklore lives. Long before anyone excavated it, the massive stones were explained as the work of giants, and the site is still the Giant’s Bed. It is also woven into the tale of Diarmuid and Gráinne, the eloping lovers of the Fenian cycle, named as one of the resting places on their flight across Ireland. The capstone-on-uprights you see today is the stone skeleton of the monument; the covering mound has long since weathered and been ploughed away.
What to see & do
This is a place you visit for the setting and the age of the thing, not for a lot of interpretation.
- Look at how the capstone rests on its uprights, the surviving frame of the monument.
- Note the position: Neolithic tombs were set on high ground to be seen from the land below.
- Follow the published Dolmen Loop for a waymarked walk in the area.
Getting there & walking routes
For a walk in the area, follow the published Dolmen Loop from Lisvarrinane. It is a moderate walk of about 14 km, starts near Moroney’s pub in Lisvarrinane, follows red arrows and joins the Ballyhoura Way, with the Golden Vale, the Glen of Aherlow and the Ballyhoura Mountains along the way. Keep dogs on leads and stay on the marked path.
The surrounding land is working farmland. Leave the stones, gates and adjoining land undisturbed, and do not cross fields that are not part of a marked route.
Public transport does not reach the ridge. Check current bus services to Tipperary Town or Galbally; a car is the practical option, with extra time allowed for the narrow, winding lanes up onto Slievenamuck.
Practical visitor tips
- Footwear & weather: The ridge is exposed and the grass gets slippery when wet. Waterproofs and boots that cope with mud, even in summer.
- Facilities: Do not expect toilets, a café or water on the ridge. Bring what you need.
- Dogs & families: Keep dogs on leads. Fine for older children; keep an eye on younger ones on the uneven ground.
- Respect the monument: It is a protected monument. Don’t climb on the capstone or move any stones.
Nearby attractions
Shrough sits in a corner of Tipperary thick with older and newer sights. The Devil’s Bit gives another hilltop walk, with the legend of St Patrick’s well. For medieval heritage, Cahir Castle and the carved Cormac’s Chapel at the Rock of Cashel are both within reach of the Aherlow corridor. The Glen of Aherlow itself has quiet country pubs and a good spread of waymarked walks if the legs want more.