bawn79

What is it they say, following in the footsteps of giants, i found this the easy way, thanks to Fourwinds 10 digit GPS coordinates and even when I got close to the site I followed a recent track straight to the circle, which i presume was Cians from the weekend! This must have been almost impossible to find before the forest was cleared and before GPS. It really is a beautiful place and thanks to the lovely weather I just hung out in the circle and relaxed.
It reminds me in some ways of Grange Lios in Limerick (not how it looks but more how it feels) but it is so quiet that you can really just think about nothing.
It would be interesting to reconstruct the views from the circle without all the trees around. I would think the views would be very impressive. Does anyone know what way this circle is aligned?

Brusselstown is a pretty easy climb up, I climbed from the east side of the hill. I parked up at a point approx half ways along the hill where i spotted a bit of a track. There was a lot of tracks all over the hill so i suspect a group may have climbed it over the weekend.
The views from the hill are truely amazing and this site would have been brillant for defence. There is no way anyone could sneak up on you. The central rock outcrop that sticks up in the centre of the hillfort is quite interesting. The boleycarrigeen stone circle is intervisable with the site.
Reading the Arch Inventory of Wicklow this is meant to be the biggest hillfort complex in Europe if you include Spinans Hill as part of it, I was over at Maiden Castle a few months ago so im sure they would argue with that.
The Keadeen Mountain looms large and broodingly on the northern horizon of the ring.

This cairn is on the summit of Ben Dubh which is mentioned as the source of the River Suir which ends up meeting the sea way down in Waterford. The hill itself is over 400m high and is a pretty difficult climb. I followed the valley of the stream that can be clearly seen on the OS map leading towards the top.
However the path seems to follow along side the stream and between a boundary fence (barb-wire) and I had to climb over the fence three or four times. Best way to go up would be to stay out from the valley and climb the spur to the right then walk along the summit to the top of Ben Dubh.
On the other hand I wouldnt really recommend coming up here except for the view. The cairn is very indistinct and really not up to much. It cant be seen from surrounding lowlands or surrounding hills. The North Tipp inventory isn’t sure whether it is an ancient cairn or a 19th century folly.
The hillfort on Knocknanora can be quiet easily seen from here and it would suggest to me that the hillfort could be quiet big and possibly worth a look.
On an aside as i reached the peak I could see this massive rain shower coming up the valley below. I was preparing to get soaked but it stopped up about 100m from the cairn and didnt rain on top of the hill at all, which was great. So thank the Gods for that one!

This site stretchs back to the late Bronze Age and it is thought to have been of ceremonial as well as defensive use. It has had many periods of occupation. The attached link has a lovely 3D representation of the site and some aerial photographs and like most hillforts this is the best way to view it.
This hillfort would be good for a picnic/ walk (Unfortunately because of this there is a lot of litter). It is sign-posted from the main Newmarket on Fergus to Ennis Road and has a car-park. It also has 10 information boards and at the summit there is a viewing platform from which the surrounding area can be viewed. There are a lot of decidious tress around so to get the best view of the area best to go in winter.

In a effort to stay fit, ive decided to try and climb up to some of the more challenging sites to get to. This isnt too bad to get to and thankfully the weather was ok because Id say this could be a very bleak place on a bad day.
What I did was park at the church/graveyard and then walk up a pretty step part of the hill to the cross. Once over the lip you can see the hillfort that the passages are in. It is beside the OS height marker.
Im sure the wall around it was possibly built from the cairn material which is a real pity. It also blocks the views from the passages. I think I remember in Martin Brennans book that Chamber 1 is meant to be aligned to the north for the pole star/ moon?
However looking thru the passage you would imagine it looks out pretty low on the horizon, hard to tell really.
The basin is great but i couldnt make out any of the rock-art that is meant to be on it.
As an aside i found someones mobile phone, its a big hill so to come upon it is some luck. Handed it back anyway, never can get enough good karma!
The views up here are amazing but its also unusual how the hills to the north where chamber 1 is meant to be aligned to are quite low. Hard to pick out anything really that could be used as a marker.
The whole hill seems to be full of stone, strewn about the place, a lot of field walls made from good stone. I wonder is there any record of any destroyed monuments up here.

This is a massive hill-fort, im not sure of the size on top but its huge. The top of the hill has 3 stones lying around, one of them seems to have 3 cupmarks. The bank and ditch itself is massive and covered with scrub and so it is hard to get a good look at it. I know they say that this is a henge like construction and not used for defense but this bank would still be useful for defending id say. This site seemingly has been reused a number of times and evidence of timber structures were found on it. They were probably used for ritual use and seemingly a lot of animal bones were found on the hill which suggests feasting.
The views from it are magnificant, into wicklow, carlow, kildare and probably laois and offaly.
I came from Old Kilcullen and turned right out onto the main road N78 going back towards Dublin, where the road widens there is a spot to safely pull in about 100 yards after from the last house on left. There is a bit of a gate to hope with a sign saying that “this is a farm etc no liability”. Then just walled up the hill. Lot of sheep in the fields at the moment so its safe enough. There were a few cows within the bank could be a bit unpredictable this time of year.

This stone is just off the existing N7 before the turn-off for Ballina coming from Dublin. Its in some rolling country-side and is getting a new neighbour in the M7 motorway. Its probably only 400-500mm high. The smaller stone beside it seems to have two cupmarks on it.

The Archaeological Inventory lists this was as probably been lost in scrub. I was all motivated to find it but I have to go along with what they say, there is a lot of that yellow prickly gorse around but no sign of the stone. The only stone in the area looks to be natural.

This is, maybe, a raised Rath. I’m not sure. It has an outer bank with an inner ditch and then it rises again into a central platform. Hard enough to make out from the picture, but if anyone is up looking at the stone circle might it be worth a look to see what you think.

I read about this circle in Archaeology Irelands pull-out on the Curragh and said I had to see it. Especially since its not listed on the OS map as a circle. Brewell’s Hill is only about 222m high but it has commanding views into at least 5 counties. To get up to it I parked at the road just before the field with the barrows in it. Its only half a km from the road in a small pine plantation that you can clearly see from the road.
The circle itself consists of four stones, three of them large and two of them probably made from quartz. The most interesting stone to me was the one with the cupmarks on it. They are slender and beautiful and kind of look like scales on the back of the stone.
I met the farmer who was up checking his sheep and he told me a little folklore about the stones (I was actually hiding in the ditch waiting for him to leave but he spotted me, so ill have to improve on my camoflague skills).

This is just off the N9 on the left after Kilcullen. There are big “do not enter” signs at the main gate. However I came in from the rear gate and only saw the signs as I left ;)
This is really tall stone, standing about 2.2m tall (over my head anyway and im 6 4). It has a cross engraved on one side. Im not familar with all the hills in this area but it has a great view of its surrounding.
Thanks to fourwinds for pointing this one out on megalithomania. He reckons its on a man-made structure so god only knows whats it is marking.
The area is marked as gravel pits on the map and they are excavating a lot of fill around the area. Lets hope it doesnt affect this fine monument.

This standing stone isnt even on the map and you can imagine my surprise driving by. I was a little disappointed when I found that it was previously recorded but not to worry.

Taken from North Tipp Archaeological Inventory “Standing Stone
Situated just below the crest of a NW-SE ridge, on the NE side, in undulating reclaimed pasture-land. The site is not depicted on the 1st (1840) or 2nd (1904) ed. OS Map although the 2nd ed. Map depicts an area of outcrop at this location. According to Stout (1984, 21-2) there is a tradition that this possible standing stone is associated with a kerbed mound 300m to the SE. The stone is composed of sandstone with quartz inclusions and has a rounded profile and rectangular plan (H. 1.1m; dims/ 1.85m x 0.4-0.53m). It has inclining sides and is split along its bedding plane giving flat faces on the NE and SW sides. Aligned NW-SE.”

I found this totally by accident, it is down on the OS map as a ‘mound’. In reality it looks better than the pictures, it is pretty difficult to capture because of all the scrub bushes around it.

I think these cupmarks signify that this site is much more important in a local context than previously accounted for.

Taken from North Tipp Archaeological Inventory “Mound Barrow
Situated on a gentle S-facing slope in very wet, rushy terrain in rough pasture, on a fairly flat ridge. A grass-covered mound (16.3m N-S; H0.6-1m) defined by a an interrupted non-contigous circle of twenty-six substantial kerbstones of sandstone with some quartz inclusions (H 0.44-0.88m: with 0.52-0.8m; T 0.19-0.32M). Some of the kerbstones are split with their flat surface towards the interior. According to an OPW field report (30-12-1977) there are cupmarks on the external faces of some of the kerbstones in the SE quadrant; these are now covered with lichen. A possible cupmark was noted on the internal face of a stone in the NNW quadrant and on the external face of a stone at ESE. Two boulders are exposed roughly in the centre of the mound aligned NW-SE and 0.48m apart. The SW stone is 0.93m long and at least 0.25m wide; the NE stone is more grass covered. Both appear to have their flat edge lining the interior of a possible cist; no visible endstones. Immediately S of the site the slope has been cut to form a field drainage ditch associated with a boundary bank.”

This is down on the OS map as ‘stones’ and its been intriguing me for quite a while. Finally got to see it and although I thought before going to site it might have been a stone row it turned out to be what looks like a court tomb (this is based on the fact that to me it looks a lot like Shanballyedmond which isnt that far away). The diameter is roughly 62m and I would think it was aligned north-south or south-north, it was hard to tell which ‘end’ was the end. Its just off the road as well so is easy to find. One part of the field it is in had a load of stone field clearance.

Edit
The SMR records the site as a Ring-Cairn with the following description.
“On a gentle SW-facing slope of rising ground in upland region overlooking the Gortnageragh river valley from S to W. Directly N of the ring-cairn there is an outlying low orthostat (TS045-001002-). Monument consists of a low circular rise (diam. 18m SW-NE; 19.5m NW-SE; H 0.3) of loosely piled stones or low orthostats (avg. dims. 1m x 0.5m) which in places consists of double rows of orthostats defining the perimeter of the monument which may represent internal and external kerbing containing cairn material, indicative of a poorly preserved ring-cairn. The interior is fairly open with several low mounds of loosely piled stones. In the OS Namebook (1840) the ring-cairn is described as a fort which ‘has a sepulchral chamber inside it’ (O’Donovan et. al.) while its local name Rathnacloghal fort is translated as the fort of the white stones.”

This standing stone forms part of the field boundary. However I do think it is in the original position because it seems well inbedded into the ground.
It is wider at the base and at least 2m. All around it to the north east and west are low hills. However to the south-west what I think is the hill of Knockgrean/Knocksefin rises up in Limerick and my feeling is that is placed in reference to these.

I couldn’t believe it when I saw these massive cup-marks on the face of this standing stone, I was getting blow off the plain that the standing stone is on so I didnt count exactly how many but Id say there is at least 10 on it. All quite deep and large.

This site im sure is a bit of a controversial site. It has no link at the moment to the megalithic but I think from the amount of christainisation of the site (Cross on top and two marian statues) that this may have been a powerful pagan site at one stage.
Also if Gilles MacBain is correct (see link) about the sunrising and setting through the Bit, I wonder if there are any monuments in the area aligned to both the Bit and the sun-rise/sunsets.
I also know that the present name is only a recent addition and that the former name Gap of Ely is a norman name so I would be very interested to know what the original gaelic name for the Bit was. It may give us an idea to its former use/dedication. Also see the folklore.

The remains of this tomb are very disappointing. It is on the side of the hill Cnoc on Stanna. Only three stones remain. There is a lot of over-grown scrub in the area possibly some of the tomb has been dumped in it but as far as I could see this is all the remains.

This henge is just south of cashel town off the N8. After u leave the last roundabout in the town the henge is the next left and maybe only 300m up this road on the right hand side. As always when im out the place was full of animals. Two little terriers ran from a house at least a mile away to come and bark at me which was quite funny and it seems to be a home to a heap of hares.
The henge itself is massive Id say its radius is approx 20m which would give it a diameter of 125m. The bank isnt that high and is covered in shrub so it is hard to see how high it is but id say it reaches 1.25-1.5m in places. There seems to be a barrow like round impression in the centre of the henge, possibly the imprint of a structure. Ive no idea of its history but about 200m down the road there is a clubhouse called ‘Fort Aengus’ so possibly this is the local name for the henge.

Definitely worth a trip, this lovely tomb combined with the beautiful Harps of Cliu to the south are fantistic viewing.
This is a lovely passage grave and the fact that it is pointing north means that whatever alignment it has if any is not obvious.

The Harps of Cliu are really impressive to view and are south of the hill the Duntryleague passage tomb is on. They are on the slopes of Galtymore mountain, which at 919m is the tallest in Tipperary. The harps relate to a mythical harpist (Cliu) that played them to “woo” a local goddess to him to keep the season’s in balance.

Not much left of this wedge tomb. The biggest remaining stone is maybe only 0.5m high by 1.2m long. A tree seems to have grown through the middle of it and I guess this is what has broken up the tomb. I happened to meet the son of the guy that owns the field and he mentioned there was second wedge tomb in the field but im not sure really. He also said RTE did a piece on the tomb years ago and couldn’t date them. Only one tomb is mentioned in the North Tipp Archaeological inventory.
To get there coming from Dublin into Roscrea at the second roundabout take the exit for McDonalds and go past it up a hilly winding road. About 1km later as the hill starts to flatten out it is on the right hand side and you should be able to see it ok. If you come to a left hand side junction you have gone to far.

Anyone that ends up here, be prepared for a petting zoo, this slightly ruins the ambience!

The tipp inventory mentions this as being part of a possible stone-circle. I had a good look but as the tipp inventory suggests im afraid both standing stone and circle are gone.
Basically this site is in someones front garden and it seems to be just a mound of field clearance with no stones visible.
Another one bites the dust.

This is a very nicely preserved tomb and its big as the below description suggests at least 7m long. It runs east-west and has views to the Mahurslieve to the south and Keeper Hill to the north-west.
I met the guy that owns the house on the way in the track (on the OS map) and he warned me about the disappearing lake Lough Beg. Seems that it is grown over but still marshy below so best keep to the highland as you walk to the tomb. This lake is the source of the Mulkear river which is a great salmon fishing river so its worrying if it is drying up.
Keeping to the highland also allows you to view the tomb from way off and its actually a very easy one to find. Its about a 2km walk from the house at the beginning of the lane. There were tracks leading the tomb so it looks like it has been visited recently.
Also the North Tipp Inventory mentions a standing stone and a barrow to the south-west, I only gave a quick look but couldnt see anything so if anyone heads this way keep an eye out. The standing stone is over a 1m high.

Taken from the North Tipp Archaeological Inventory

Wedge Tomb
Situated at the western side of Knockteige Hill and in the basin of the Mulkear River. The tomb consists of a double-walled gallery, at least 7m long and 1.2m in maximum width, divided by a septal-stone, into a portico at the WSW and a main chamber some 5m long. The gallery sides decrease in height towards the E. Forward of the septal stone there are a number of stones. Among them are two outer-wall stones to the S and one to the N. Outside the last are two stones which seem to represent a doubling of the outer-wall. Two stones in the N and one to the S link the outer-walling to the septal-stone. These three stones could represent the sides of the portico or may be a doubling of its sides. There are three set stones of main chamber is represented by five orthostats and a prostate stone adjoining the easternmost of these may be a fallen example. The doubling along this side of the gallery is represented by six stones. The N side of the main chamber consists of six orthostats forming an irregular line. Almost 1m beyond the eastern end of the line there is another orthostat This could be a buttress-stone for a missing backstone or a continuation of the gallery wall. The doubling of the N wall of the gallery is represented by five stones. (De Valera and Ó Nualláin 1982, 82-3, No. 4)

To get to this park across from the old cemetary/graveyard leaving ballina on the way to limerick/birdhill. Follow the track alongside the graveyard and when u come to where the track gets really wet (a stream runs through it) turn left into the field and follow the field uphill to the top of the field where there is a depression/grove where the standing stone is sited. There are two stones on the map but I thought i had found the second one but upon looking at the Archaeological Inventory afterwards found it wasn’t it so another trip is planned. The stone itself is about 0.5m high and is triangular shaped. I dont think the depression it is in is natural as the banks around it seem to be raised and so may be a ringfort.

In the village of birdhill coming from dublin turn right towards O’Briens Bridge. Less than a mile on this road to the left is a little spot that u can pull it at and seems to have been used for fly-tipping. Follow in through the fields until u can see the farm outhouses. The stone is in the field next to the outhouses.
A very tall stone about 2.1m high and the tallest I can recall seeing in north tipp to date. The main views are to the north over the shannon into Clare.

It was a day of good and bad news. The good news was that my hunch about this stone row being special was confirmed, the bad news was when i got out there my 6 month old digital camera packed it in.
This is a beauty of a row, it is situated on a high plateau with views all around of the main hills, Mothers Mountain, Keeper Hill, Sliabh Eibhlinne, across into limerick to Knockgrean/Knocsefin and down southeast as far as the jagged peak of Temple Hill where there is a cairn on top.

The stones are approx 1.5 – 2m tall and seem to be encrusted with white quartz and i would say they were specially picked for the job. One of the stones even has a small piece of red quartz in it which is quite unusual i guess. There are another three smaller stones around the base and there is also a triangular standing stone to the south only about 10m away. This could possibly be part of the row but it is a different shape to the other stones and the farmer told me the local name for them is “the three stones” so im guessing that it isnt.
Two of the stones seem to be pointing/tilted towards Sliabh Eibhlinne and the other one towards Keeper Hill. To the east is the Mothers Moutain and the west Knockgrean.
The triangular stone possibly looks towards Slievenamuck which has a similar profile.
Well i think im probably going a bit mad with my ‘alignments’ there but thats how things looked to me on the day.
There is a circular cairn to the east of the row that isnt marked on the map.

Just to save anyone the trouble, this stone is marked on the OS map but has been removed and is lost/destroyed.

Great site and relatively easy to find. Wouldnt have found it without directions from Megalithomania. Fourwinds has more info on this site on his website.

I climbed this hill way back in September to see the hillfort/cairn. However at the top of a very hard climb with no path was a very unimpressive lump covered in heather. I can’t remember now whether I took photos and deleted them because they looked so rubbish, or didn’t bother taking them at all, but I don’t have any to post.

I’m mainly putting it up to save anyone else the trouble of climbing. In my opinion this isn’t worth a look.

When I looked at the stone row on the map I thought in might be aligned to the Mothers Mountain. However there is another hill in the way but i do think it is pointing in the direction of the mountain.
I really like the unusual holy water font on the largest stone. There are a few unusual markings on the other stones Im sure all are natural but i said id post them anyway just in case. The views around it aren’t especially stunning.
Its pretty easy to get to. There is an unmarked farmers track right up alongside it. All in a very impressive row.

Taken from North Tipp Archaeological Inventory

“Stone Row
Situated at the base of the N slope of a small hillock which in turn is on the SE-facing slope of a ridge in an upland area. Site indicated on 1st ed. (1840) OS map as ‘Three Stones’. Not depicted on subsequent 2nd Ed. (1902). A row of four stones aligned NE-SW with a possible fifth stone (H 1.3m; Wth 0.45m; T0.2m) lying prostate near a gap in the row; overall length 7.63m. These limestone orthostats are set in a slight hollow with a little evidence of packing-stones, though there are tufts of grass around the bases. The largest standing stone (H 1.78m; 1.56m x 0.4m), at the SW end, has a hole in the face into which hands were dipped as a cure for warts. From the NE to SW the remaining three stones measure: (1) H 1.05m; 0.76m x c. 0.3m (2) H 1.56m; 1.47 m x 0.28m (3) H 0.95m; 0.8m x 0.53m”

Didnt really get a good look at this site due to the close promixity of a fairly excitable horse. Really only got a good look at it from the pics when i got home. Its seems to be built against a boundary ditch which kind of takes from it a little.
Its quite a walk to get there about 1.5km along the track marked on the OS map and on the day the ground was very wet with some pools forming on the track that required wellies. At the very end of the track there was a massive bull in a corral so between bulls and horses i had to do a good few detours. In summer and without the animals im sure it would be a grand walk.

Taken from the North Tipp Archaeological Inventory

“Wedge Tomb
Situated on gently sloping boggy ground on the lower slopes of Cooneen Hill. The remains of a gallery, 4.6m long, survive. A septal-stone, partly embedded in a field-fence, marks the SSW end. Three contiguous stones remain on the more northerly side of the gallery. Beyond the easternmost of these there is a small set stone of uncertain fuction. There are four sidestones on the S side of the gallery. Two are alongside on the SSW and the other two, which are smaller examples, stand apart from each other towards the NNE. There is a thin slab outside the junction of the former pair. This supports one end of a roofstone the western orthostat on the N side of the gallery. Outside the latter orthosat there is another, apparently the lone survivor of a close-set outer wall. A decrease in gallery height and width towards the NNE is indicated. (De Valera and Ó Nualláin 1982, 82, No. 3)”

This is a good climb up with the hill be over 400m high. I went looking for the Wedge Tomb which you can see from the slope as you climb up the hill but not from the cairn itself. I was dissappointed at first but as I begun to investigate it there seem to be more to it than what first meets the eye.
I think there is a reasonably complete kerb underneath the heather/moss. The discovery of an ‘entrance’ stone looking south towards the Mothers Mountain was exciting but unfortunately it only goes in about 300mm till it hits rock again.
The views are amazing from up here and you can see all the main peaks in the area.

Taken from the North Tipp Archaeological Inventory

“Situated on the summit of Cooneen Hill with panoramic views in all dircections. A circumlar cairn (base diam. 8.7m N-S x 10.3m E-W; top diam. 5.1m) sitting on a natural knoll which continues to descend to S. The cairn (H 0.8-1.6m) is covered in moss and heather with small stones protruding. Kerbstones defining the top of the cairn at S. The interior is flat with a flat, with a slight drop below the encircling kerb. Large flat boulders in the interior may be lintels although three or four are loose.”

This is the first thing ive found using my new snazzy GPS. The tomb is situated in the middle of a number of fields and ive tried to find it before unsuccessfully. There is an esker ridge to the north of this site. The biggest stone is pretty impressive and the boundaries to the field that it is in have a number of huge stones of similar size so this is probably what happened to the rest of the tomb. It was a bit misty so I couldn’t see its relationship to any hills in the area especially the Devils Bit but the ‘front’ of it is east-facing so it may be aligned to general sunrise.

North Tipp Archaeological Inventory
“Portal Tomb
Situated on a gently sloping ridge in rolling farmland. The northern side of the E-facing chamber and its displaced roofstone survive. To the E there is a portal-stone. 2.25m high. To the W and leaning against the last there is a side-stone, 1.7m high, the roofstone 2.2m x 1.8m and 0.45 thick leans against the western end of the sidestone. A displaced slab, 1.9m in maximum dimension, rests against the outer faces of the orthosats (Manning, 1983-4, 44-5)”

Very rough directions
Its just over a 1km from the main road (Nenagh-Borrisokane) and isnt far from the bye-road that leads from Ardroney village roughly north-east-ish. However there are a lot of new houses built on the bye road so the easiest place to access without going through someones garden and getting some strange looks is from the main road. The fields are pretty ok just loads of electric fences to duck and dive over.

Very small standing stone behind a church down a long path to a big two story farmhouse.

This is a very impressive hill but i couldn’t really see any sign of the hill-fort on it but I think it may be worth a look another day. It looks like a very easily defended site so would be perfect for one. There also seems to be quite a few standing stones around the foot of it with the hill as there focus.

Edit 15th May 2007

Knockroe is a very impressive hill-fort. It has a bank about 1m high and about half of it and the rest is protected by shear cliff. The whole hill seems to be full of monuments and old field walls however I’m not sure what period they are from although the mound and the barrow stick out to me as being prehistoric/ iron age.
There is evidence of a well between the two peaks of Knockroe and this would have been of massive importance to a defensive site.
It is also intervisible with the col on Knockfennel to the south-west.

In the field beside the standing stone there is another circle on the ordnance survey map, im not sure what it was pointing to. There is a stone under a tree in the area but surely they would have put it down as a standing stone. There is also the unusual piece of slope at the rear of the site which to me just looked odd in the surroundings. Im sure if they bring out an archeaological record of Limerick this can be resolved.

If you look closely this cairn is made up of rocks and grass has grown over it. It is also shown on the OS map as a circle.
The blackthorn tree adds to it and reminds me of the cairn on top of Cnoc Aine. As I was standing on top the cairn a I spotted a big massive fox sunbathing himself. I love when I see wild animals around sites.

This sleek standing stone is approximately 0.5m high and is situated on a rocky outcrop with a little cairn and a possible other standing stone near by. There is also a strange platform feature which may be natural/man-made. It is also just off the road across for a small white old cottage style bungalow and is hard to see from the road.

I didn’t actually go into the field but took the picture from the road. This standing stone is in the shadow of the hillfort of Knockroe. I’d say its approximately 1.2m high. It is situated in a field alongside a farmhouse and out house buildings.

This stone is approx 0.7m high is easily found just off the road behind a high wall leading into an old two-story farmhouse. There seems to be a lot of standing stone action in the area. I don’t know wether the hole in it is from weathering or if was purposely done.

This cairn is in poor repair and not very impressive. Its on average about 2-3m high. Diameter of very approx 15-20m.

Using an OS map it is easy to see that a long bye-road goes up most of the way up the hill. The road is pretty bad and there a number of gates on it as it is a farm track. Depending on the weather, if it is wet best to park before the first gate as there is no real alloted parking. Follow the track up the hill, the soil in the area seems to be an orangey/red.
Views from the top of the hill are amazing looking all over limerick, south-tipp and down into kerry (I think). I could pick out my own hill tountinna in north tipp here. The cross and the tv masts however really take from the hill and the cairn on top is pretty disappointing. However the mythology attached to the hill and the views more than makes up for it.

This wedgetomb is just in off the road. However the best place to access it is at the pump on the left hand side coming from lough gur. The tomb is on the far side of the house that you see as you climb into the field. From the tomb you can see Knockadoon and the very interesting looking Knockrahir. The owner of the field helpfully gave me directions and also pointed out to me that there is a famine graveyard near it as it used to run close to an older road. This road used to run alongside the lough and was replaced by the new road that runs alongside the grange lios.

This the only well in the north tipp area dedicated to “St. Bridget” which I find kind of odd. I’m a big fan of Bridget wells and always try to visit.

Youghalvillage
“St. Conlans Well”
Holy well and holy tree

Taken from North Tipp Archaeological survey:

Situated on a hillocky area on a SE-facing slope. This holy well is a natural spring which flows into an open pool. Though not marked on the 6-inch OS map a lane leads from the main track right up to the well. Maintained and still visited, the well is enclosed by a hexagonal drystone wall (diam. C. 1.3m; H c.1m) and is covered by a flat slab of slate which has been partially cut to allow easy access to the water. Opening to SE, it is flanked on either side by walling terminating with boulders, with flagstones flooring this entrance area. This walling continues to enclose the hillock for a further 2-3.5m on either side of the entrance. Several small wooden crosses, painted Marian blue, have been inserted on top of this wall and on the hillock surrounding the well, including one fixed to an adjacent ash tree with a small crucifix placed in the centre. There is a rag bush in front of the well and a wooden altar to the rear containing a statue of the Virgin and Child. In the OS Name Books (c. 1840) the holy well was described as a place ‘at which diseases are said to be cured and superstitious ceremonies performed’. According to the OS Letters St Conlan’s festival ‘fell on the 25th or 29th July. Some say it took place eleven days before the 1st August’ (O’Flanagan 1930, vol. 3, 17)

This is a lovely well and is still in use. I remember going down to it with friends to get holy water for sick people because of its supposed curative powers.
It also has a reputation for curing eye problems.

It took me four attempts to find this rock so directions are useful. Its pretty tough terrain and hard to find. If anyone is in the area id be happy to show them the way.
About 2kms after Beal Boru there is a left turn up a Clare Walk way. Its just before a quay on the right. It is a good hike from here id say at least 3km. There is a car-park here, there are two paths from the car-park. One of them could be driven on but it has a forestry bar across it. Take this one as it winds left then right. You should come to a track to the left that isn’t marked on the OS map and again has a bar on. Follow this road for at least 1km until it turns into a forest path. Keep following this basic heading on this path until u come to the edge of the forest. U should be able to hear a stream from here. The stream comes from out of the Crag. Now follow the edge of the forest round into the crag. There are various rocky outcrops (maybe not all are natural) but as soon as I saw Craglea I knew it was the one. Pity its so overgrown. It would look so more impressive if it wasn’t.
Its an unusual place, makes u feel a little uneasy. It definitely has a strange feel about it.

8th July 2013.
I received alternative coordinates for this site over two years ago from a Co. Clare native. I unfortunately put them on the back burner until I received an email inquiring as to the location of the rock. Yesterday I took a visit to these alternative coordinates and found what I agree is the true location of Aoibheals Rock. The updated GPS coordinates should take you straight to it. This location is more hidden while the one I located previously (in error) is more open. I suppose for reflection with your family totem or banshee this would be a better place.
To find it proceed into ballycluggan woods and there is a track up to the last 200m (mainly what seem to be mountain bike tracks). There seemed to have been fairly recent visitors as a faint track to the rock was still evident (for the last 200m).

This is a really lovely site. And its in my home village as well. At the top of the hill of Portroe past the school and garda station there is a hard to see lane on the left (On the way to Ballina). U can park in front of the lane and follow the path as per the OS map most of the way. If u hear some dogs barking you are in the right place!
You pass by the water reservior for the area and can see the stones clearly from the top of the hill. The best way to get down to them is by going to the right of the sillage/farm buildings where there is a gap. All electric fences in the area are live so be careful.
It really says a lot about the treatment of history in this country when I went to primary school less than 1km away and yet we were never taken there. In fact if it wasnt for the archaeological inventory of North Tipp I would never have heard of them because they are not even marked on the OS map being described as barrows.

Situated on a low platform in an upland area with a bowl barrow c.50m to NW. Two limestone orthosats, aligned E-W, and 9,5m apart. Both stones are triangular in shape with the tops of the stones sloping from N to S. The E stone is erect (H2.1m; 1.1m x0.9m) while the W stone(h1.5m;0.6m x 1.1m)has fallen and is resting on its packing stones. Extract from Archaeological Inventory of North Tipp

The North Tipp Archaeological inventory says that is know locally as the “Tomb Stone of the King of Leinster”. Well as a local its news to me! It also says that it reckons that it is a natural feature. It is located about 1/2 km from the graves of the leinstermen just by the side of the road.