The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Caherkirky

Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech

Fieldnotes

This mini-complex is set in a gradually-sloping, west-facing field with what would have been a long view, blocked now by the adjacent fence, towards the full Carrigfadda range. It comprises two boulder burials, the smaller of which is closely attended by a massive, horned monolith; 2.7m high and 1.9m wide. The larger, western boulder, tightly embraced by hawthorn, rests on three supports. The Inventory refers to one visible support under the eastern cap, but this is now concealed by overgrowth from the fence.

The line of this wall, running tangentially between the two monuments, also incorporates an interlink of two quartz blocks. These need not necessarily be original features, but the presence of similar stones at several Argideen river sites - Letter, Templebryan, Carrigagrenane N, Lettergorman S and both Maulatanvally groups - does offer strong support to the proposal.

It's also tempting, though highly speculative, to zoomorphise the suggestively-shaped pillar using later, local, bull-reference place-names as evidence. Certainly, the two extreme peaks of the Carrigfadda range, to the southwest, present an uncannily similar, horn-like appearance to the top of the roughly aligned stone.

Permission to visit this remarkable site can be obtained from the new house on the side of the road, at the north side of the field.



Archaeological Inventory of Cork, 1992; No.105, 30; No.260, 47.
gjrk Posted by gjrk
7th August 2008ce
Edited 2nd January 2009ce

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