County Carlow – the Dolmen County and Brownshill Dolmen
County Carlow is nicknamed the Dolmen County, and for good reason: it may have the highest concentration of megalithic monuments per square kilometre in Ireland. Standing stones, bullauns and cairns dot the landscape, and the Brownshill Dolmen is reputed to be the largest in Europe.
The county's historic clan territories included those of the O'Ryans, O'Nolans, Kinsellas, Kearneys and others. Thanks to the navigable River Barrow and the ancient road Slighe Cualann, Carlow was long an important crossing point. Today it is Ireland's second-smallest traditional county, with the town of Carlow on the Barrow as its lively centre. Do you have a Carlow story or local legend? Share it with the community!