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Fieldnotes by Meic

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Dunbeacon (Stone Circle)

May 27th 2016
Oh what have they done to Dunbeacon Stone Circle. I hadn't visited it for a few years now and was looking forward to catching up with this ancient, wild, enigmatic circle.
Nice suprise to start - a stile signed Dunbeacon stone circle - leading along a newly constructed path (with several more stiles). So far - so good. Then the last stretch, and I can tell that it's not going to be good. The wire fenced avenue turns into a wooden fenced coral. The stones, imprisoned in a begrudgingly small pen. The wildness has gone, the mystery has gone. You might just as well be standing in a sterile museum environment. What have they done ?

Shanacloon (Sacred Well)

Situated in the woods just SW of the Sullane River, in the Townland of An tSeanchluain (Shanacloon) is this interesting collection of monuments. A cairn is flanked by three standing stones, all of which have ogham inscriptions, though only one is now visible now. A Bullaun stone sits on top of the cairn, which is also decorated with a modern cross and various offerings. The cairn is said to be the burial place of St Abán, the Brother of St Gobnait, who's church sits a kilometre or so to the NW. A few metres downhill is the Holy Well dedicated to St Abán and still in use today.

Turnaspidogy (Stone Row / Alignment)

take the R584 from Ballingeary towards Inchigeelagh. Go past the Boat Cottage Cafe. Soon you will come to a left hand turning - the L7410 signed Tir Na Spideoga B&B appartments. Turn up this road then take the first right over a bridge (again signed for the B&B). Just along this road you cross another small bridge and there is a gate immediately on the right by the stream. The stones are in that field, visible from the road. The gate has a warning not to touch farm animals or machinery !!

Derreengreanagh (Standing Stones)

I've been meaning to get over to these stones for ages now. There has always been either massive cows or molten mud - but today the field is Bovine free and relatively dry. So taking the direct route - under the barbed wire and through the soggy field to the hedge and fence to find a way over. It looks like a number of people have used this route before - the hedge is easily traversed and I am in the field containing what the NMS call - a single standing stone and an anomolous group of stones. Nearest to me is a rectangular standing stone standing 1.58m x 0.85 x 0.45 and aligned NE-SW. A few metres to the North lie three stones/boulders. Are they a fallen row or are they boulder burials ? It's difficult to say with any certainty. Anyway - this group makes up the "anomolous" stones. 30 metres NE of the standing stone, stands the second menhir. It too is rectangular and aligned NE-SW. The height is 1.9m and it is clearly connected to the stone grouping. It's an intriguing site and well worth a visit if you are in the area

Mallavoge (Stone Row / Alignment)

This stone row has very recently been added to the NMS (National Monument Service), but with no details.
We had seen these stones a few years back on a visit to Brow Head but had dismissed them as being modern. So today, we thought that we would take a closer look.
Three large boulders form a line roughly ENE-WSW. They are quite well spaced out. There are extensive views over Crookhaven to the NE and out to Sea to the South.
The ENE and WSW boulders look as though they just sit on the earth, whilst the middle one is earthfast.
There is another large stone slightly South of the row, which may or may not be connected to it.
In my mind, this row has a very modern feel and look to it, but as I mentioned at the begining, The NMS have scheduled it - CO152-010 so who knows

Toormore (Wedge Tomb)

I had really been looking forward to getting to this one. Imagine my disappointment, when walking round the track, I was met with this beautiful wedge tomb being used as a dustbin storage unit ! I didn't even recognise it at first and thought that I was in the wrong place... alas no !
Maybe the new owners don't realise just what they actually have on their land...... there certainly didn't seem to be much respect for it !

Farranamanagh (Stone Row / Alignment)

Situated just off of the Sheeps Head Way footpath. Called a 3 stone row/allignment by the National Monument Survey, but seems more likely to be the remnants of a wedge tomb. Set on a mound, one stone remains upright whilst the other two lay prostrate. Another stone lies embedded in the mound.The North Western stone has at least four cup marks on it's surface.
Access is via a stile into the field.

Carrigagulla NE (Stone Row / Alignment)

Three stones make up the row. One large stone and one very small stone are still standing and another large stone lies fallen. The area has been clearfelled and the row is now fenced off. The fallen stone was damaged in an attempt to protect it when the trees were felled. The machine moving it accidentally dropped it, causing a section to shear off
http://www.excavations.ie/Pages/Details.php?Year=2003&County=Cork&id=9521

Carrigagulla NE (Stone Circle)

A few hundred yards further on down the main road from Carrigagulla SW there is a turning into the Coilte Forestry plantation.
We follow the track until we come to an obvious right hand turn leading to a dead end.
I know that Carrigagulla NE is just down this track and off in the trees somewhere. I have explicit directions (picked up from this very site). Seems straightforward. Walk to end of track - go west 120 paces - then North 45 paces into trees and voila !
I get to the end of the track,and then step into what looks like an innocuous little puddle....... seconds later I am knee deep in black, smelly bog water, which is rapidly filling my boots. Not quite what I had in mind, as I pull myself up onto drier land. I now forget my Wests from my Norths and somehow circle back to the car. I should have remembered to bring my compass !
Not giving up - its back down the track and then find an obvious dry and easy step over and this time head straight into the trees (right at the corner) and head West. After 100 yards or so I can make out some stones over in a clearing to the right.... and here it is,another magical sight beholds me. Carrigagulla NE five stone circle ! If this circle was just sitting in a field, it would be quite plain. But here in this clearing amongst the conifers it is special - "a must visit" circle.
Again aligned for the cross quarter (240 degrees - Jack Roberts). All five stones are upright and in good condition.
I head back out to the track and squelch my way back to the car. After ringing out my socks, we have our packed lunch whilst sitting listening to the birds singing.

Carrigagulla (Stone Circle)

As Bawn 79 says, this circle is signposted from the road. I checked with the farmer who gaveme good directions, mentioning that quite a few people end up getting lost looking for it !
There is actually a wooden sign pointing you into the field which is fairly overgrown with Rushes and is wet ! Instead of going through the field, I walked down the boreen to the old farm and crossed the small stream to wander over to the circle.
It's a great little multi-stone circle but could definitely do with a bit of vegetation clearance. Brambles are encroaching from the hedgerow and the circle itself has been engulfed by Rushes.
That aside...... as I said earlier it's a great circle. I count 15 stones still standing - including the low recumbant and the 2 radially set portal stones. A couple of stones have fallen and near the centre lies another. It is aligned just off NE-SW at 245 degrees,which according to Jack Roberts, is for the Cross Quarter.
I take several photo's and admire the extensive views. Carrigagulla NE circle is only about 500 yards away to the North but is hidden in the forestry.
Get to this one if you can - it's well worth the walk !

Scartbaun (Standing Stone / Menhir)

Situated in rough bogland South West of Knocknaveigh.
Drainage channels have been dug right through it exposing the buried half of the stone ! Hopefully this won't destabilise it too much.
For access,there is a gate by a ruin just south of the radio masts. Go through the gate, the stone is quite obvious some 200 metres South. The terrain is rough but not really wet. Just make a bee line straight for it,picking out the best route as you go !

Keilnascarta SE (Stone Row / Alignment)

The third in a line of alignments in Keilnascarta Townland. This one is of two stones and is situated about 100 metres SE of the middle row, seperated by a deep and overgrown disused railway cutting.
Both stones are of a similar height (around 1.5 metres) and are against a field hedge and are overgrown with brambles. They are aligned NE-SW.

Cullomane West (Stone Row / Alignment)

The site consists of a three stone row and a single standing stone.
The standing stone is about 25 yards away and is around six and a half feet high.
The row is aligned NE-SW. The middle stone has fallen and is partly buried. The SW stone has split in two giving it quite a dramatic look. This is the fourth example of a split stone that I have seen in West Cork.
Access is through a farmard at the end of a private road. The people are very helpful and friendly.

Keilnascarta NW (Stone Row / Alignment)

A wonderful stone pair. Both stones are 2.5 metres high and aligned NE-SW.
Access is the same as for the row, which lies about 50 yards away to the SE across the bohreen.

Keilnascarta (Stone Row / Alignment)

There are two Stone Pairs and a three stone row here at Keilnascarta. They are in a line NNW-SSE and are all in different fields.
The three stone row is the middle of the three.
Aligned NE-SW, only two of the stones are still upright. The NE stone laying prostrate.
A Hawthorn tree has grown up the middle stone.
All the stones are of a similar height.
Access for this and the NW pair is nice and easy.
Coming from Bantry about 100 yards before the Ballydehob turning there are two bungalows on the left. A small bohreen runs up between them past a farmhouse. The Row is in the field to the right and the stone pair in the field to the left.
Ask at the bungalow on the right or the farmhouse.

Maulinward (Stone Row / Alignment)

A row of 3 stones aligned NE-SW situated just 2 metres South of a radial cairn.
Two of the stones are still upright, whilst the SW stone leans heavily .
A fourth stone lies prostrate alongside the row, but is probably connected with the cairn.

Maulinward (Ring Cairn)

The remains of a radial cairn sit 2 metres to the North of the row.
There is an arc of 7 kerb stones at the Southern end and a number of loose boulders dotted around the interior.

Glanbannoo Upper (Standing Stone / Menhir)

About 350 metres down the road from it's big brother ! This one is an oblong shape just over a metre high.

Gortnascreeny (Standing Stones)

The National Monument Survey has this one down as a single Standing Stone, but it's obviously a pair. The bigger of the two is a massive seven and a half feet tall and around three and a half feet wide and deep. The second stone is a mere stump.
There used to be another standing stone on the other side of the road and is still marked on the OS map but was removed a while ago.

Trawlebane (Stone Circle)

This could be a great little circle. All five stones are there... still standing. But, as with a lot of sites, it's been rather neglected. Filled with stones from field clearance and overgrown with brambles.
Trawlebane Standing Stone lays about 250 metres to the SW
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After spending 25 years living around and wandering over Dartmoor and a brief 5 month stay in North Wales, I can now be found driving around the lanes of West Cork.
www.ancientstones.blogspot.com

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