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Neolithic Man Puts Bypass On Hold Thousands of years ago our Neolithic forebears were hunting for wild game with flint arrows overlooking what is now Ballymena. by Linda Stewart 3/3/2010. More at: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/neolithic-man-puts-bypass-on-hold-14705308.html Cheers Stevie! |
Posted by drewbhoy4th March 2010ce |
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Northern Ireland Environment AgencyThe NIEA Map Viewer, on which you can see the scheduled historic monuments in Northern Ireland. There is also a list of the sites here: http://www.ni-environment.gov.uk/built/owning.htm |
Posted by Rhiannon6th February 2009ce Edited 6th February 2009ce |
Latest posts for Northern Ireland |
Showing 1-10 of 501 posts. Most recent first | Next 10 
Ballynoe (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes |
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Ballynoe is cited by none other than Aubrey Burl as 'one of the great rings of Western Europe'.... so an overcast morning, threatening rain, is probably not the optimum time to visit. But then experience has shown that dear Roisin Dubh rarely accommodates the insignificant wishes of Gladman, so he's well advised to take whatever's on offer, so to speak. The circle is located a couple of miles south of Downpatrick, the town, as its name implies, more than happy with its association with yer man himself (although the claim that St Patrick's actually buried in the cathedral here is perhaps somewhat, ahem, tenuous). The final approach on foot is along a tree-lined track, the unintentional effect of which, combined with such a distinguished write up, is to heighten the anticipation of the traveller to, well, you get the idea. It therefore comes as quite a shock to find.... no fanfare... no fence, no turnstiles, no hype... in fact not even any people. Just a deep, lush pasture with Slieve Donard (one of the 'Mountains of Mourne') gracing the horizon to the south west and a slumbering arrangement of large stones poking above the grass. Right on! The sense of anticlimax, albeit most welcome, is fleeting, for the validity of Mr Burl's assertion is soon very much apparent. And then some, since the circumference of the ring is still nearly intact, featuring numerous large orthostats. There's more, however, in the form of a long mound partially surrounded by a heavy, incomplete kerb. Whether this originally enclosed the mound is unclear, although further kerb stones at the western end suggest it did, I guess. The mound itself possesses remains of a cist at its eastern end. So, Ballynoe is a fine, multiphase monument. But which came first, long mound or circle? Well, perhaps the siting of portal stones outside the (approx) western entrance at Ballynoe might shed some light here, for Mr Burl hypothesises that since this (amongst other features) is very similar to the arrangements to be found at several Cumbrian 'circles (in particular at the wonderful Sunkenkirk), there is a case for suggesting Ballynoe was erected by incomers from across the Irish Sea, perhaps trading axes from Langdale? And of course the great Cumbrian circles do not surround tombs. An intriguing theory, also discussed, incidentally, by Mr Cope in his 'You Gotta Problem...' sleeve notes. Ballynoe has many other stories to tell, including possible Mid Winter alignments upon the aforementioned Slieve Donard. But perhaps the most significant story is that here we have one of Britain's finest stone circles languishing in relative obscurity. But don't just take Aubrey's word for it..... I happen to think so, too. |
Posted by GLADMAN20th March 2010ce Edited 21st March 2010ce |
Legananny (Portal Tomb) — Miscellaneous |
Don't forget your umbrella.It is so beautifully balanced that the upper stone, though of enormous weight, can be easily rocked by pushing it with an umbrella. ... I think it is one of the finest cromlechs I have seen. --- Annesley.That's Lord Annesley to you, showing off his photographs of the cromlech on his land near Castlewellan. From the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Fifth Series, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Mar., 1895). |
Posted by Rhiannon 28th February 2010ce |
Clontygora - Court Tomb — Folklore |
The whole is left intact by the nature of its surroundings. The interior of the chamber is filled with small field stones, and no means are left to examine it; but I understand that tradition tells of "curious things" being got in the inside at one time.The writer simultaneously is pleased by the protection three walls meeting at the tomb have provided, yet is desperate to have all the stones removed so its "goodly appearance" can once more be seen. It's obviously all tidied up now though. Over tidied one suspects? From a piece by Thomas Hall (with pre-tidied photos) in the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 5th series, v24, no.1 (1904). |
Posted by Rhiannon 28th February 2010ce |
Beaghmore (Stone Circle) — Images (click to view fullsize) |
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Posted by GLADMAN 24th February 2010ce |
Creggandevesky (Court Tomb) — Images |
 
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Posted by GLADMAN 24th February 2010ce |
Knockmany (Passage Grave) — Images |
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Posted by CianMcLiam17th February 2010ce |
Ballynoe (Stone Circle) — Images |
 
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Posted by GLADMAN 7th February 2010ce |
Loughmacrory III (Wedge Tomb) — Images |
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Posted by GLADMAN 7th February 2010ce |
Showing 1-10 of 501 posts. Most recent first | Next 10
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