Druids Circle — Cloghchurnel

In pasture just to the NW of the top of a ridge, with extensive views of the surrounding countryside, and immediately to the SW of a WNW-ESE roadway. This incomplete stone circle (diam. c. 40m) consists of 19 stones arranged in a roughly D-shaped configuration with two stones at ENE, adjacent to the road-side fence, giving a straight edge to the circle on this side. Neither of these stones appears to be set in the ground and they may be displaced. The arrangement of the other surviving stones supports the interpretation of it being a true ‘circle’ and, if this is correct, then the entire monument is contained to the SW of the road which, as a routeway, would have respected its presence in skirting its N perimeter. A number of the stones are set contiguously while others are widely spaced. Nine of the stones are upright monoliths set on edge with their axes along the perimeter of the circle. One of these, the eighth in order from the road-side field boundary at ENE, is atypical in having its axis at an angle to the perceived line of the circle. The remaining stones are either recumbent or, in the case of the two at ENE nearest the road-side fence, possibly displaced. The highest stone (H 1.7m; Wth 1.1m; T 0.8m) is at SE and the largest recumbent stone (L 1.95m; Wth 0.98m; T 0.59m) is at ESE. The interior rises towards the centre and this does not appear to be artificial. There is a standing stone (LF011-061----) c. 120m to the NW. (O’Donovan 2003, 18) Compiled by: Paul Walsh Date of upload: 1 March 2012 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 4/1983).