The cairn is located in the townland of Poulawack, in the civil parish of Carran; it is situated on private property.

Hencken originally thought that the cairn was constructed in two phases over a relatively short time in the early Bronze Age (2000 to 1500 BC).

Phase I is a polygonal stone cist made from slabs of limestone, dated to around 3500 BC (Neolithic), containing the remains of three adults and one child plus several objects.

At that time three more burial cists were inserted into the cairn, which had previously likely collapsed partially outwards over the kerb stones.

The remains of a fourth person were found placed directly on the limestone surface of the plateau, covered with slabs and then enclosed within the expanding cairn.