Ballyreagh Stone Row / Alignment View all content for Ballyreagh

So it seems speculation is rife about these three stones. Are they the remains of a megalithic tomb? Are they an alignment (even though they’re not in a line)? There’s a handwritten note in the NISMR that speculates that on the smaller, more distant stone, there are scorings that resemble ‘the face of a man wearing a hat.’ Well that’s as well as maybe, but I’m going to throw my twopence worth into the ring and say that I reckon this is the remains of a ceremonial stone circle. The stones stand on top of a hill, surrounded on all sides by higher ground. However, about 4 kilometres directly to the south, through a gap, is Topped Mountain and maybe it was our visit there earlier in the day, or my previous reading that Topped is thought to be the focal point of many of the monuments in the area, but I couldn’t help feeling that this may have been a small ‘temple’, used by the locals to ‘worship’ that sacred hill. Silly speculation and nonsense over, this was the highlight of our day (so far). The sun had emerged fully and burnt away the mist and low cloud that had tracked us all day. We had decided up at the disappointing Glengesh portal tomb that we’d try for 2 more sites on our way home, this one and the dual court tomb 2 kilometres up the road in the same townland. If you’re in the vicinity, or passing though Tempo, I’d recommend a quick diversion to here.

Posted by ryaner 21st July 2021ce

Comments (0)
You must be logged in to add a comment