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This is an enthusiastically reconstructed ring fort. Excavated by Boyle Somerville - who is buried with his sister, the novelist Edith Somerville in nearby Castletownsend - in the early 20th Century. The highlights of this site are the fine views of the sea to the south, the views of the three Gurranes fingers to the north, a cup-marked stone, a souterrain, and a cross-inscribed stone.
The souterrain was unlocked when we visited and I was able to crawl well inside both chambers to find two discarded crisp packets. They weren't Somerville's. The overall impression is of a site not disimilar to Carn Gluze at Cape Cornwall. The reconstructed walls and the impressive flight of steps make this place seem much more modern than it really is. The site would have been easily defended and nearby Gurranes acts as an impressive welcome or warning to visitors.
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This obscure 6 stone alignment shares a ENE-SSW orientation with the nearby Ardrah Row. It many ways it has a similar feel, although the stones have a shape more common to the stumpy pillars of Reenascreena in the south of the county. The tallest ENE stands at about 4 and half feet whilst the smallest is about 20 inches. Five stones stand, one is fallen. Burl, in his 1993 publication, "From Carnac to Callanish" reports that Charcoal dating on peat overlying the site dates to approximately 1600BC. The site was excavated in 1977. The tallest stone "weighs about 2 tons and could have been erected by some eight workers".
When travelling North or South to vist this site, following the hand-written signs to the nearby Basketry will be a big help. The site nestles on a small hill overlooking the crossroads of two lanes. To the SW is Lough Atoreen and to the NW the familiar peak of Knockboy. The landowner had recently installed a gate when we visited. A refreshing change after some of the real, imaginary ("Beware of the Bull" ) and symbolic barriers so often found in these parts.
The happy face simulacra on the SSW stone was only spotted when the film was developed!
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Ardrah Stone Row is difficult to find and access. We sought permission from a very suspicious farmer with the strongest Irish accent I've ever heard (we both repeated everything to each other at least twice). The Farmer insisted that we were some way short of Kealkill but after I'd got my map out and explained to him that it was Adrah we were looking for, he positively gushed vague directions. Following the lane northwards, through a gate we entered a field where we could plainly see the row. It was here that I understood why the farmer had asked whether I was intending to change out of my sturdy walking books. Waders might have been more appropriate. Getting nearer to the row than about 500 feet proved almost impossible. After circling the site for about 45 minutes when we attempted to dodge noisy cows, scale banks, ditches, streams and barbed wire we eventually got into the grounds of the abandonned farm house from which the site can be accessed.
Myler's report on this alignment in his "An Archaeological survey of the Mealagh Valley" includes the following observations "The largest south western stone is 9 ft high, 3 ft wide and 2.5 ft thick. The adjacent stone measures 3 ft high, 2 ft wide and 1.5 thick. The next one is 4.5 ft high, 4 ft wide and 2 ft thick. The north eastern stone is 3ft high, 2 ft wide and 2 ft thick".
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This is the Mealagh Valley's largest standing stone. It is one of a number interesting sites in the immediate vicinity including, on the opposite side of the road, a ringfort with souterrain and a cup marked stading stone.
In his excellent archaeological survey of the Mealagh Valley, David Myler reports that it stands 15 foot high, is 6 foot wide and 3 feet thick. The stone is rumoured to have markings on it. I noticed none but can report that the stone has began to sprout a fine head of hair. Local rumours also report that the stone was once damaged by a bolt of lightning.
Turn left on the road heading NW from Lough Boffina, turn left again after about a mile and then pull in at the lane on the left. Ask permission to access the site. One of the farms' many barky dogs kept me company on my visit.
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This is the Northern one of a pair of circles at Currabeha. After O 'Nuallain, Jack Roberts suggests that there is some disagreement as to whether there were originally 9 or 11 stones here.
We visited this low runined cicrle on a wet and foul day. We didn't realise the second cirlce was so close at hand until reading Roberts' guide later that evening.
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My experience of finding the site was a similar one. The stones dip below the horizon as you approach. I followed the directions suggested by Burl and walked up the lane past a farm. There was no-one there but I did notice a previously un-reported (and certainly not recorded on the OS map) stading stone adjacent to the back garden. The bog is the most fearsome I've encountered visiting sites in Cork or Kerry.
It wasn't until leaving the lane and then turning left and left again to head toward the Healy Pass that I noticed a much easier access point. The fence here is partly trampled and the stones remain in view as you follow the contours to reach them. I guess this is the easy route!
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FourWinds has got a point here. Yes, this is the Eastern of the two circles. Four of us spent nearly 2 hours trying to find the other one and in the process got separated from each other. Things became a bit scary then and after we all met up again later to find out that we'd all been shouting at the tops of our voces and had all retraced our original steps out of there and had still not found the stones nor each other. Any advice on finding this site, or some images would be most welcome.
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There is some debate as to whether there were originally 13 or 15 stones on this site.
There is an informative interpretation board at this site. The landowner asks for a small charitable donation and the rear of the board incorporates letters of acknowledgement from, amongst others, Amnesty International.
A delight to visit on such a sunny day.
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Gurranes stone row actually lies to the North of Knockdrum, a reconstructed ring fort. The alignment is clearly visible from the fort and tracks across the skyline as you descend back to the road. There were, according to Roberts' "Antiquites of West Cork", originally 5 upright finger stones here. The missing fifth stone was removed during the 19th Century and installed in a Castletownshend garden.
Our second visit to this site and 53 weeks on from our first trip it still feels like a magical place. This time rabbits scattered into hedgerows as we approached. The views inland were more stunning than I remembered. From the lofty heights of Knockdrum we spotted the cows that share the field with the stones using them to scratch themsleves. A prosaic end to another fine visit. This is still my favourite ancient site.
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