Castlemary

Nearest town:
Midleton (6km NW)
OS reference:
W9058067611
OS sheet:
81
Latitude:
51° 51' 38.89 N
Longitude:
8° 8' 12.3 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Castlemary (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by bogman

51.86057 N
8.15053 W
On private property, I asked for permission and was allowed to visit although I was informed that it was not normally allowed, this dolmen does not appear to be well known

Image credit: Charles Coughlan
bogman
bogman Nov 6, 2009

Articles

Folklore

Castlemary
Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Jan 22, 2008

Not far distant from Cloyne is Castle Mary, a seat belonging to the Longfield family : it was formerly called Carrig Cotta, which is supposed to be a corruption of Carrig Croith, or the Rock of the Sun,-- a name derived from a cromlech, or Druidical altar, still to be seen not far from the house.

This remain of paganism consists of a rough and massive stone, twelve feet in length; one end elevated about six feet from the ground by two smaller stones, from which its name of Cromlech, signifying a bending or inclined stone, is derived.

Close by it is a smaller stone or altar, supported in a similar diagonal position by a single stone. There is a tradition, that nothing will grow under either of these altars, an opinion that originates from the total absence of verdure, incident to a want of sufficient light and air*.

The top of the larger altar was richly covered with [Wood Geranium], the light feathery leaves and delicate pink blossoms of which formed a pleasing contrast to the solemnity and breadth of the altar.

*oh don’t be so boring. This from the chapter on Cloyne in Thomas Crofton Croker’s ‘Researches in the South of Ireland’ (1828).

Sites within 20km of Castlemary

Like all websites everywhere, we use cookies.