Unusual ancient stone formations known as "dolmens" exist throughout the Irish countryside.

Dolmens (which means "stone tables" in the Breton language) are burial sites, as elegant as they are simple. Some of them are quite massive. About 1400 exist in Ireland, part of local and national legend, and are known as "Giants' Graves."

The Celts, who arrived in Ireland after the dolmens were built, wove the structures into their legends. The story of Diarmuid and Gráinne (an Irish "Romeo and Juliet") had the two pursued lovers sleep on their capstones after they eloped.

Pictured above is the Poulnabrone Dolmen, located about 5 miles south of Ballyvaghan. ("Poulnabrone" is Irish for "pool of sorrows".) Seventeen adults and 16 children were buried there some 4500 years ago.