What is recorded here

Half a metre above the sodden pasture, a circular mound of granite and gneiss holds its shape while the longer stone heaps around it blur into ordinary field boundaries. It sits beside a straight stone row on the lower slopes of the Partry Mountains, facing the western shores of Lough Mask and the dark ridges of Maumtrasna. The cairn may be prehistoric, but its purpose has not been identified.

Located in an area of damp, rough pasture of rushes, sedges and upland grasses, on the lower SE-facing slopes of the Partry Mountains. The location overlooks the western shores of Lough Mask, with the skyline at S−SW dominated by the dramatic ridges of Maumtrasna Mountain. Ground falls away gradually immediately to S. This cairn consists of a circular mound (diam. 8m NE−SW; 8.5m NW−SE) of large and medium-sized stones, largely sod-covered. It appears gently domed in profile, but has a slightly flattened top (2m NE−SW; 3m NW−SE). It rises to a height of 0.6m above surrounding ground level on the NE half, and 1.1m on the SW half where it slumps more broadly, reflecting the natural fall of ground on that side. The upper levels appear to have a relatively loose structure. Granite and gneiss stones, which occur in the local geology, are visible in the cairn. This cairn differs in form from the elongated or linear-shaped cairns or heaps of stones which are widespread on these slopes, and which appear to be of relatively recent date. Its association with a stone row (MA116A006001-), located 4.8m to N, suggests that it may be prehistoric. Another stone row (MA116A005001-) and a ringbarrow (MA116A005002-) are located on an elevation 300m to ENE. Images: MA116A006002-_01.JPG viewed from SW MA116A006002-_02.JPG viewed from NE, with stone row (MA116A006001-) in foreground. MA116A006002-_03.JPG viewed from NW Compiled by: Jane O’ Shaughnessy Date of upload: 5 October 2017

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