CianMcLiam

The exquisite ‘Sleeping Lady’ discovered in the Hypogeum

Bad news if you saw this and also happened to be a domestic animal..

Tom FourWinds at Bugibba Temple, Sat. 14th Feb 2009

Exploring the southern chamber of Dowth on Winter Solstice 2008.

Children unknown, any info please contact me via www.shadowsandstone.com

Sunset 13/12/08

Thickening clouds blocked the final stages of sunset but would be interesting to see what happens around winter solstice in a couple of weeks.

Drombeg under near full moon 11-11-08

Samhain sunset 2008, viewed from the circle entrance passage and through the portals.

Samhain sunset 2008

Sunlight in the passage a short while after sunrise, 27/10/08

Re-used rock art? Similar open air carvings have been recorded nearby on natural boulders which appear to be in-situ.

Barely there. There’s a very nice cross configuration in this shot but it’s weathered away to almost nothing.

A small hog-back boulder tucked into the corner of the garden of a modern bungalow, almost a grotto-like setting.

The upper panel consists of two cup and five rings, one cup and four rings with a gutter which is joined to three cup and rings grouped together and a nearby cup with three rings.

The lower slope panel on this very large outcrop features one cup with one ring, two cups with two rings and one cup with four pennanular rings and a gutter. One of the cups w/2 rings is just on the far edge of the outcrop below the veggies.

The covered carvings nearest are some of the best preserved I’ve yet seen, the difference between these and the eroded rings just visible nearer the top are startling.

Looking out from the burial ground over the bay to the mountains on the Dingle Peninsula in the distance. Shade on rock art courtesy of my no.78 O.S. map.

Looking out the passage from the chamber, the stone on the right bears what some have claimed to be a stylised face, above the end of the passage is the amazingly preserved zig-zags on a lozenge shaped stone which is thought to have originally spanned the end of the passage.

Stones along right hand side of chamber

On top of Cairn T, waiting in vain.

Greeting the dawn with Bodhráns inside Cairn U, 21st Sept. 2008

Cairn W shortly after dawn, the disc of the sun was just visible through a gap in the fog but not powerful enough to light the interior of Cairn T

You wouldn’t believe how many thorns I had to extract after diving into raw jungle to get this...

Carnbane West viewed from the hillside on Carnbane East, the cairns are obscured by mist. This might look photoshopped but the mist and golden light was magical enough as it was.

Misty hilltop, looking past one of the remaining kerbstones of Cairn I to Cairn L

Sunlight on the back stone of Cairn I shortly after sunrise

The more complex chamber facing south east.

The exposed chamber of Cairn I just after sunrise, looking slightly south-east with Carnbane East below the sun and Sliabh Rua and Cairn M to the right.

The rising sun burns through heavy morning mist, viewed through the portals of Cairn I 07/09/08, according to Martin Brennan this early September alignment warns of the approaching equinox.

Sunrise through the portals of Cairn I 07/09/08, according to Martin Brennan this early September alignment warns of the approaching equinox.

Looking from the rear of the right hand recess across the main chamber into the left hand recess. The passage enters from the left of this photo.

Back orthostat, left chamber

Decorated passage orthostats, left hand side

‘The Hags Chair’ with children

Taken after a talk for Heritage week on Sun. 31st August 2008. If anyone knows who these two kids are please contact me so I can forward a print to their parents.