Discover Alone, back to main map

Gallán

Standing stone

What is recorded here

Gallán stands three metres tall on a buried Cork ridge, its rectangular body tilted slightly across the grass. Murphy and Conlon both recorded the stone decades ago, yet overgrowth has since swallowed the path that led them to it. The ridge may have marked a boundary, a gathering place or a warning, but the earth has taken back the reason. What remains is a shape large enough to see from a distance and quiet enough to forget.
On summit of E-W ridge in heavy overgrowth, c. 65m to E of ringfort (CO070-057001-) and standing stone (CO070-057002-); both stones mentioned by Murphy (1898, 13). Stone (H 3m; 1.05m x 0.5m) is subrectangular in plan, long axis NE-SW. Conlon (1918, 125) refers to two stones in this location, 3ft 4ins apart with second stone measuring '1ft 9ins high, 3ft 4ins broad, 3ft 4ins thick'. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 3: Mid Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009
Probably dates to the early medieval period, given its association with a ringfort and the mention in 19th-century sources. The name "Gallán" may refer to a saint or holy well, suggesting a possible Christian or pre-Christian ritual significance.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.

What survives
Recorded monument

Places near here

Add to this placeAdd a picture Comment or add a tip

Explore 1,118,481 places