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

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Kenmare (Stone Circle) — Images (click to view fullsize)

<b>Kenmare</b>Posted by stonemad

Kenmare (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

Visited in April 2012, this site I found easily after getting chatting to a local...I parked on Henry St. in the town and walked up towards the town park, but staying to the left. At a red brick building ahead take a left and follow the lane up...you should be able to see a familiar brown sign pointing in the direction of the circle, which is to the right. When I got there, I discovered a sort of secluded oasis, fenced off from the surrounding outskirts of Kenmare by a ring of leilandai (is that how you spell it?) trees. To get to said oasis I had to walk past an unmanned garden shed, with a hatch which contained an honesty box asking for 2euros per visitor, and a sign saying 'You are being filmed on CCTV'....a glance upwards proved this to be correct...there was the camera...so I gave it a grin and a wave as I popped a couple of quid in...and gained entrance to the circle. I just happened to have caught a lovely sunny break in typically Irish '4 seasons in 1 day' weather as I arrived...and finding that there were no other visitors, spent a quiet hour watching a couple of blackbirds hop around the recently cut grass and trying to take satisfactory photos..(despite the ring of guardian leilandai being planted a metre or two too close to the stones in my opinion....I found it difficult to get a shot of the whole circle because I couldn't get far away enough from it!!) Grumbles aside, I was pleasantly surprised at the atmosphere at this circle, in a place I had previously associated with rampant tourism and 'Oirishness'...I'd reluctantly gone to Kenmare from Uragh, to find a bank at 4pm on a Friday afternoon...but found that this circle rewarded my unavoidable encounter with 'civilisation' in the end! Hurrah!

Ardristan (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Fieldnotes

Visited April 2012, this site is easy to find, being on the N81 south of Tullow. Access is through/over a gate that had a 'No Shooting' sign on it, on the left hand side of the road...the stone is visible from the road, depending on the growth of the hedgerows that is! No cattle were present (phew!) when I visited...I got the impression that a crop had just been planted...which means that visitors later in the year may have to keep a better eye out for the stone, as the height of the crop increases!! A lovely stone, with a strong presence....much taller than I first thought as I approached it....the grooves give it a more geometric grace somehow!!?! Nice.

Ardristan (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Images

<b>Ardristan</b>Posted by stonemad

Cashelkeelty NW (Stone Circle) — Images

<b>Cashelkeelty NW</b>Posted by stonemad

Aill na Mireann (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Fieldnotes

I visited the sacred omphalos of Uisneach in 2007...considering the fame of the place as the navel of Ireland...the plaque announcing it's presence in the area was typically discreet. At the side of the main road was a footpath and gate with huge 'Beware of the Bulls' 'Do not enter' and 'No Trespass' signs...but me being me...I just had to take a trip up the field to at least find the Catstone...so shoot me!
The Hill of Uisneach, I have to admit was a little confusing...as there was never a sense of actually cresting the hill...try as we did to get to the top before anyone spotting us! As we took photos near the Catstone..I spotted the landowner in a field down yonder, making his way to his jeep, keeping a keen eye on his quarry...us!! We just made it out of the field as he reached us on the road...with our best innocent looks on our faces.
I can safely say that to ensure a nice relaxed trip up here...one should try harder than I did to identify the landowner and beg for his permission to tread this site...the locals I asked just said 'Sure you'll be fine...work away'...I would be interested to find out if anyone has visited there since, and what their experience was!?!

Aill na Mireann (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Images

<b>Aill na Mireann</b>Posted by stonemad

Penrhosfeilw (Standing Stones) — Images

<b>Penrhosfeilw</b>Posted by stonemad

Corracloona (Court Tomb) — Images

<b>Corracloona</b>Posted by stonemad<b>Corracloona</b>Posted by stonemad<b>Corracloona</b>Posted by stonemad<b>Corracloona</b>Posted by stonemad<b>Corracloona</b>Posted by stonemad

Leitrim Beg (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Fieldnotes

Wet feet to be expected when approaching this site...which is accessed over a stile from a back lane and a very discreet signpost. The gorse proves to be slight problem once you get close to the stone in that it obscures the opportunity of taking a good photo of the menhir in it's gorgeous surroundings. The stone itself is much larger than I anticipated from the view I had of it over the stile...the whole area had a lovely feel to it on this lovely Spring day.

Leitrim Beg (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Images

<b>Leitrim Beg</b>Posted by stonemad<b>Leitrim Beg</b>Posted by stonemad<b>Leitrim Beg</b>Posted by stonemad

Ballynahowen (Wedge Tomb) — Fieldnotes

Lovely long slow climb to find this site...best of all...when you turn around and look at the views rising up at the back of ya. Keep an eye out for discreet signs saying 'Dolmen' and you will find it...not far away from Leitrim Beg standing stone...which doesn't seem to be listed here...?!

Ballynahowen (Wedge Tomb) — Images

<b>Ballynahowen</b>Posted by stonemad

Shronebirrane (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

Visited in May'11...the disappointment of finding a house so close to these stones in such a remote, otherworldly situation almost made me not want to get out of the car on my arrival...made worse by the fact that when I knocked on the door to ask for access...the homeowner charged me e1.50 to gain said access...having driven for what seemed miles down a bockety oul lane into the back of beyond...I thought I may as well pay up...but this tainted my experience here...at the risk of sounding like an arse. This IS a lovely site...there's a gentleness to be felt throughout the craggy terrain...the stones lean in at crazy angles, providing shelter from the wind for the lambs recently born...I just hope some of my money went to appeasing the 'good people' (the true custodians of such sites!) for the sake of lady homeowner!!

Shronebirrane (Stone Circle) — Images

<b>Shronebirrane</b>Posted by stonemad

Ballycrovane (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Images

<b>Ballycrovane</b>Posted by stonemad

Ballycrovane (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Fieldnotes

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 (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Images

<b>Ballycrovane</b>Posted by stonemad
Barmy about boulders, crazy about cupmarks, zany over zig-zags, mad about menhirs, wild about wedge-tombs, partial to passage tombs, cock-a-hoop about court cairns, delighted by dolmens....yup...stonemad!

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