Brownshill Dolmen Jewellery

Recently I have being asked to custom make local themed jewellery from  local sites and attractions here in Carlow. The first one I made many years ago was the Brownshill Dolmen one of the largest capstones in Europe. I took a trip out to the dolmen had a walk around and did a few drawings (this was way before digital photos) I came up with a view from one side and them I made a bronze brooch for the local arts festival Eigse as it was known back then. I made it for local people and tourists and ex pats living abroad so we have revived this brooch recently.  Brownshill Dolmen

More recently I have been asked to make special one off Brownshill Dolmen pendants and matching earrings in Silver

Handmade silver Dolmen pendant and matching earrings

Custom made brooch

History

It was built between 4000 and 3000 BC by some of the earliest farmers to inhabit the island. It is also known as Brownshill Portal Tomb, so-called because the entrance to the burial chamber was flanked by two large upright stones (orthostats) supporting the granite capstone, or roof, of the chamber. The capstone is thought to have been covered by an earthen mound and a gate stone blocked the entrance. At Brownshill both portal stones and the gate-stone are still in situ; the capstone lies on top of the portals and gate-stone and slopes to the ground away from the entrance. Not much additional information is available on Brownshill because it has never been excavated. A fourth upright stands close by and could be the remains of a forecourt. The extent of the chamber cannot be determined.

Sleaty Church

We were also asked to come up with an idea for a local woman from Sleaty Carlow she lived near the old ruins of Sleaty church and graveyard here in Carlow (County Laois)  so I took a wee trip out to the site to have a look and sketched a few ideas and came up with the silver brooch as pictured  Sleaty Graveyard

Sleaty Carlow