Ballycrovane

Nearest town:
Sneem (14km N)
OS reference:
V657529
OS sheet:
84
Latitude:
51° 42' 45.3 N
Longitude:
9° 56' 36.09 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Ballycrovane (Standing Stone / Menhir) by CianMcLiam

Looking out to sea, this stone seems a lot older than its ogham inscription and it reminded me of the large pillars at Callanish, this 5.3m stone could well have been an ancient marker for the peaceful harbour just north of this spot.

Image credit: Ken Williams/ShadowsandStone.com
CianMcLiam
CianMcLiam Jun 5, 2006

Articles

Ballycrovane

stonemad
stonemad Jun 25, 2011

I visited Ballycrovane in May ‘11...considering the stone’s impressive size I still found it hard enough to pin down once I got to the general locale...parked by happy coincidence in the drive of the house you need to walk past to get to the site. The homeowner came out to see who this interloper was..and helpfully told me I could leave my car where it was as I followed the path up the side of her house to the site. She never asked for any money..and left me to enjoy Ballycrovane and it’s majesty alone...which is always preferable!!

Ballycrovane

CianMcLiam
CianMcLiam Jun 5, 2006

This is a very impressive stone, it stands on a knoll with views over the coast but inland it is surrounded on all sides by hills and mountains.

Clearly visible from the road as you drive down the hill into the harbour, it was surely a beacon for ancient mariners, given the sheer number of ancient remains in the area it possibly marks one of the busiest places for trade and rest along the coast.

Its worth knowing before visiting that you will be greeted on arrival by the people who own the land and for a €2 coin you will be given the nod and a badly printed sheet of info taken directly from the stonepages website.

This is a worrying trend in the locality, some landowners leave a donation box for you to exchange courtesies with a small contribution and there are few places that aren’t worth parting with a euro or two to visit if your getting signageand a decent trackway. Charging people up front though does leave you feeling ripped off when there is no service or added value being offered to the traveller.

It stands 5.3m tall and though it is clearly quite ancient it looks surprisingly modern, its shape and colour brings to mind the stones of Callanish and its weather beaten location with fine views of the harbour takes some beating.

The ogham insciption is fairly worn and very high up on the stone, it was also in the shade on my visit so did not come out in any photographs.

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