Welcome to this short tour of some of the more notable megalithic sites around Ireland. This is really just a taster of what Irelands stone and bronze age heritage has to offer, there are many more to be discovered in the categorised sections above. To visit a site, view more photos and find out a bit more, click on the link beside each photo. To continue on to the next page, use the links at the bottom of each page or the small numbered quick links just below this message. Enjoy!
The Kempe Stones aka Greengraves, Co. Down.
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Perfectly engineered portal tomb with matching portal stones and a door stone forming a very symetrical dolmen which would be far easier to appreciate if it were not part of a hedge.
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Lia Fail aka The Stone of Destiny, Hill of Tara, Co. Meath
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The fabled 'Stone of Destiny' is a standing stone on the hill of Tara, reputedly the stone upon which the High King of Ireland was crowned, although its likely to pre-date the period of the High Kings of Ireland who ruled from Tara and was probably moved from an original location nearer the megalithic 'Mound of the Hostages'. It is still the focal point for visitors interested in every aspect of Tara's long and varied history from the Stone Age to the late Iron Age. This large enclosed settlement was once the centre of Irelands political and religious life, what remains of the earthen banks and enclosures are best seen from the air although the view from this point is worth a visit alone, Tara is a site that awes you with its history rather than its appearance today.
Click here to continue on to page two of the tour or click '4' below...
Knockeen Dolmen, Co. Waterford.
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Massive portal tomb with two capstones and a door stone, it is possible to stand up inside comfortably. It is now unfortunately built into a wall but is too impressive to miss.
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Baltray Standing Stones, Co. Louth.
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Two large standing stones remain from what may have been a three stone alignment not far from Baltray beach and golf course. It was discovered in 2000 that the south stone makes an unusual alignment with Rockabill Islands off the coast, when viewed along the south face of this stone, the sun rises almost directly behind Rockabill Island on Winter Solstice. More photos of this event can be seen by clicking the link below.
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Three standing stones, forming part of the great stone circle at Newgrange, Co. Meath
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Three of the remaining stones of what would have been a huge stone circle surrounding the passage tomb at Newgrange. It is not known whether the giant circle was built after the Neolithic farmers had been either driven out of the area or hybridised out of existence by the beaker people and later bronze age settlers, or if it was contemporary with the passage tomb.
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Three of the remaining stones of what would have been a huge stone circle surrounding the passage tomb at Newgrange. It is not known whether the giant circle was built after the Neolithic farmers had been either driven out of the area or hybridised out of existence by the beaker people and later bronze age settlers, or if it was contemporary with the passage tomb.
Click here to see more photos of Newgrange.
Kealkil Stone Circle, Standing Stones and Cairn, Co. Cork.
Everyone who has been to this place will describe to you in animated terms how perfect the space, location and placement of stones is here high above the small village of Kealkil. Overlooking Bantry Bay to the west and the lowlands and mountains that make West Cork famous, its best to come on a fine day so you can appreciate the view without becoming part of it, the winds here are so strong! The two tall stones make even the tallest person tiny in comparison though the small stone circle (one of Irelands smallest) can soothe any feelings of being dominated! Well worth even a long journey to visit.
Click here to go to Kealkil
Everyone who has been to this place will describe to you in animated terms how perfect the space, location and placement of stones is here high above the small village of Kealkil. Overlooking Bantry Bay to the west and the lowlands and mountains that make West Cork famous, its best to come on a fine day so you can appreciate the view without becoming part of it, the winds here are so strong! The two tall stones make even the tallest person tiny in comparison though the small stone circle (one of Irelands smallest) can soothe any feelings of being dominated! Well worth even a long journey to visit.
Click here to go to Kealkil
Drombohilly Stone Circle, Co. Kerry.
The climb up to the top of the hill upon which this circle sits is not for those who dont like to stray far from the beaten track, the terrain is a quagmire of boggy grassland and streams with no clear path to the stones which dissapear once you leave the roadside. Now you know what a view to expect maybe you'll agree the climb is worth it.
Click here to go to Drombohilly
The climb up to the top of the hill upon which this circle sits is not for those who dont like to stray far from the beaten track, the terrain is a quagmire of boggy grassland and streams with no clear path to the stones which dissapear once you leave the roadside. Now you know what a view to expect maybe you'll agree the climb is worth it.
Click here to go to Drombohilly
Ballybrack Dolmen, Co. Dublin.
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Bizzarely located in the green area of a housing estate in the southern suburbs of Dublin, this compact and delightful tomb seems to be crouching away from the nastiness of city life and is almost perfectly aligned with a nearby bus stop. What it lacks in ambience it makes up for in ease of access as the aforementioned bus stop makes this probably the easiest portal tomb for anyone to visit in the Dublin area.
The nearby Fógra sign unwittingly points out the comedy of an unprotected 5,000 year old monument located in a council estate, making a nice climb frame and dog toilet.
Click here to see another view of this tomb
Ardristan Standing Stone, Co. Carlow.
Located near the road south out of the town of Tullow, Ardristan is a fine example of the peculiarly grooved stones of Carlow. They are unique in Ireland for having strangely weathered or artificially added grooves in the granite, you can see this in several standing stones but also at Haroldstown Dolmen and the elusive Ballynoe (Aghade) Dolmen. This stone is one of the tallest of its type, being around two metres tall.
Click here to go to Ardristan
Located near the road south out of the town of Tullow, Ardristan is a fine example of the peculiarly grooved stones of Carlow. They are unique in Ireland for having strangely weathered or artificially added grooves in the granite, you can see this in several standing stones but also at Haroldstown Dolmen and the elusive Ballynoe (Aghade) Dolmen. This stone is one of the tallest of its type, being around two metres tall.
Click here to go to Ardristan
in this box:Before you plan on visiting any site in these galleries, please read this link.
Leave only footprints and take only memories!
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