Stone Circles — Loughgur

National monument No. 247. Three small oval-shaped circular stone settings (LI032-026001-/002-/003-) annotated as 'Stone Circles' on the 1903 ed. OS 25-inch map are shown standing on the present SE shoreline of Lough Gur. These three monuments were located on the water of Lough Gur before the water level of the lake was lowered in the 19th century and probably represent the remains of a small crannog cairn or settlement platform built on Lough Gur. On the 25-inch map two of the so called 'Stone Circles' (LI032-026001-/002-) are depicted as conjoined with the third circle (LI032-026003-) standing 25m to NE. Listed in 1912 as Site G and described by Windle as following: 'Continuing along this road past the so-called New Church [LI032-024001-], which is now in ruins, at its northern side by the margin of the lake are certain groups of stones described in the Ordnance map as "Stone Circles". After a careful examination of these objects, I have come to the conclusion that they are purely natural stones, and for these reasons. Before the lake was drained, and at the time when the Black Castle [LI032-031----] was erected, it is quite clear that this piece of ground must have been under water ; otherwise the defences of that castle, as at present to be seen, would have been without value or significance. In fact, it is still so at times ; for a resident in the neighbourhood told me that he had seen the water up to the wall between the stones and the road, and had himself fished over the place where the stones are' (Windle 1912, 295). In 1833 these three 'stone circles' were described as following; 'Three circles, however, are quite evident. That marked No. 1 [LI032-026003-], is twenty yards in diameter, and at present consists of fifteen stones, No. 2 [LI032-026002-] is thirteen yards in diameter, and I counted eight stones; from this to the water, two parallel lines of similar stones extend. No. 3 [LI032-026001-] measures eight yards in diameter, and consists of seven stones. Between this and the New church, a serpentine passage [LI032-025----], formed by parallel stones, may be traced, which terminates in the Red Bog, a track of low ground about a quarter of a mile in breadth. Beyond (that is to say, to the east of) the circle, No. 1, H [LI032-029----], several very large masses of stone appear mixed with smaller ones, but I was unable to define any particular form; and still further along the shore of the lake, two circles, and other remains, are to be discerned' (Croker 1833, 109). It is possible that these stone settings are entirely natural with no archaeological significance, Ó Ríordáin (1949, 57) described a similar setting at the spectacles (LI032-014012-) which when excavated turned out be a natural feature of no archaeological significance. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 23 May 2018