
North over the circle towards Poulaphuca reservoir.
North over the circle towards Poulaphuca reservoir.
The skull of a sheep at Toor south stone circle.
The long slope of the southern approach to the peak of Church mountain with the circle barely visible in the foreground.
North-west towards Slievecorragh and Broughans Hill over the circle.
At this, the southern stone circle, the flat face of the southern-most stone faces inwards, a big boulder; the next one on the arc towards the west is nondescript but again has its flat, shaped face facing inwards, today with the jawbone of a sheep on top and a sheep’s skull nearby. The westernmost stone leans in, again with the flat face facing inwards. The northernmost stone leans out, it’s flat face facing outwards. I think there may have been a sixth stone at one point.
The most eastern stone is almost buried, barely peeping out above the heather-covered peat. The interior is artificially flattened and again, it’s hard not to believe that there wasn’t another stone between the easternmost and northernmost stones, as that would suit the geometry of the place, but that sort of speculation can only lead one down to path to yet further contemplation of many more stones. In and of itself, this little known and small in stature circle is very near perfect.
Sitting here writing these notes I’m getting the yen to go back there already. As with all of the other sites here, the views are great, north-east towards Mullaghcleevaun, over the reservoir at Ballyknockan towards Sorrel Hill, again north-west through the gap towards the Hill of Allen. Sphagnum moss continues to grow in the interior and winter up here would be wellies’ terrain.