stones historical ireland

A large flat stone, now leaning though originally upright, with a hole 6 inches wide at one end. It may have been a so-called 'port-hole' stone which closed the chamber of a megalithic tomb. However, the traditional explanation - as usual, much more romantic and appealing - is that it was a stone used at the dawn of history by Niall of the Nine Hostages to tie up Eochaidh, son of Enna Eochaidh broke the chain and took his revenge by killing the nine men whom Niall had sent to kill him. Up til...

This little known and somewhat difficult to find monument, 'Diarmuid and Grainne's Bed', is located on a farm 1 mile south of Carrowkeel (alias Kerrykeel) village and about 1/4 mile to the east of the road to Rathmelton. The portal stones are a well matched pair some 6 feet high, supporting the front edge of a craggy, cup-marked capstone which has been slightly displaced...

Ardmore is the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland. St. Declan lived in the period 350 -450 AD and christianised this area before the coming of St. Patrick. St. Declan's feast day is "Pattern Day" every 24th of July....

A 9ft high pillar stone with crosses on two faces in suitably named Giantsgrave off the N24. Signposted....

While standing stones are among the commonest field monuments in Ireland, stones that are holed in this fashion are quite rare. In the Tain Bo Cuailnge a story is told of Cethern , half out of his wits with pain. His enemies dressed the standing stone with King Ailill's golden shawl, and Cethern, believing it to be the king, rushed at it and drove his sword through it with such ferocity that the sword's pommel and Cethern's fist also went through the stone. The hole is significant in that in...

An early Christian pillar stone which may have formed the shaft of a 9th century High Cross.
On the south-western face are panels with interlacing, a praying figure, and cross and Saints Paul and Anthony in the Desert.

On the north-east face are panels with interlacing, four animals and facing upwards, a boat with four oarsmen (representing, perhaps, Christ stilling the Waves)....

The length of trail is 8km (5 miles). The actual walking will take you 2 - 2.5 hours, but there is a lot to see on the Trail, so you should allow 4 - 5 hours if you are to enjoy it fully.

The route is marked by yellow arrows on limestone plaques, with an occasional - walking man - symbol. There are stiles wherever you need to cross a wall....

A standing stone 7 feet high. On the west face is a cross with a V-shaped ornament beneath it, and on the east face is a cross and four concentric circles. These last have been thought to belong to the art of the megalithic tombs; the stone however probably belongs to the Early Christian period....

Seven of the eight Ogham stones in this group were discovered in a souterrain at Coolmagort in the nineteenth century and have been set up on this site close to Dunloe Castle. The tallest stone is 8 feet high. There is also a prostrate slab taken from the grounds of nearby Kilbonane church.

Ogham stones were frequently used as lintels in the construction of underground passages. Because of their long protection from exposure, the Dunloe inscriptions are unusually well preserved. A...

A great standing stone making the site on an ancient mound, which tradition states marks the site of a 'Giants Grave'. The stone itself contains the remains of an Ogham inscription, which has been translated a 'Branogeni'....