What is recorded here

Holy Stone is a sub-rectangular quartz standing stone in a County Cork burial ground, aligned northwest to southeast and rising 1.46 metres. Its pale edges still catch light where darker grave stones fade, marking the boundary between the living and the dead. People may have gathered there to remember names the soil has taken back.

In burial ground (CO109-01601-). Sub-rectangular quartz stone aligned NW-SE (H 1.46m; 1.2m x 0.74m). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1992). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

Likely dating to the early Christian period, the Holy Stone at Killowen may have functioned as a ritual or memorial site, possibly associated with local Christian or pre-Christian traditions. Its placement within a burial ground suggests a spiritual or commemorative role, potentially linked to folklore or veneration of the dead.

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