Coolnaconarty Standing Stones View all content for Coolnaconarty

A couple of fields east of the cross at Killmeen Creamery and a short distance south of the road, are two stones, recorded separately in the Archaeological Inventory*. Only 26m divides them - a unique stretch if they initially formed a stone row, but uncommonly close for individual standing-stones. Both were knocked accidentally, by a reversing trailer, some time before the compilation of the Inventory records. The northern slab has been partially re-erected and the stone on which it balances, though tall, may be an original support. There is no guarantee that the southern stone is exactly at its original position. A shallow depression in the ground, a couple of metres to the east, could as easily be the source. The present positions seem to roughly agree, however, with those shown on the early 20th century OS map - forming an inter-stone alignment running NNW-SSE. This, given human error, would match the N-S upright-slab orientation recalled by the landowner. The direction is, again, of course, unusual for a local stone row, but may not rule out the remains of some large free-standing monument or habitation. Permission to visit may be obtained from the farmhouse on the opposite side of the road. One for the obsessive, perhaps. *Archaeological Inventory of Cork, 1992; No.302, No.303, 51

Posted by gjrk 17th February 2009ce Edited 18th May 2009ce

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