What is recorded here

Balleeghan Upper holds a whaleback rock where cup and ring marks still face the western sea. A local landowner uncovered the art while reclaiming poorly drained land, pulling ancient geometry back into human sight. Two clear cups wear C-shaped rings and trailing tails, while fainter cups and a line of sixteen shallow marks wait beneath moss and memory. The rock remains in place, watching Doagh Isle and Trawbreaga Bay, perhaps marking a boundary, a ritual, or a conversation older than writing.

Situated in an area of poorly drained land on the SW facing slope of rising ground in upland area with good views of Doagh Isle and Trawbreaga Bay to the W. The rock is located on or very close to a ridge of rock outcrop which forms the 500ft contour on the 1900 edition of the OS 6-inch map. The rock art was discovered by the local landowner while he was carrying out land reclamation works in this field. This is one of three decorated rocks (DG004-083002/003) which were uncovered by the landowner, two of these rocks (DG004-083002/003) have been removed from their original location while the third rock is still in situ. This natural rock outcrop (H 1.2m; L 3.6m) which is still in situ has a whaleback shape rising out of the surface of the ground, the ridge of the back of the rock outcrop is orientated on a N-S axis. The W face of this rock is highly decorated with a series of cup and ring motifs located on the lower half of the rock. Some of these cup and ring motifs are very faint and covered in moss and lichen making identification of these symbols difficult. There are two very well preserved cups (diam. 0.03m) with C-shaped rings (diam 0.07m) and a vertical line or tail running down from the opening in the outer ring on both motifs. These two symbols are clearly visible on the lower surface of the rock. Beside these well preserved motifs are the barely visible remains of at least three larger cup and ring motifs. These fainter cups appear to be enclosed by poorly preserved multiple rings. One of the cups appears to be enclosed by at least three rings. Just below the ridge running along the top of the rock outcrop there is a line of at least 16 shallow cup marks with no enclosing rings. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 19 May 2011

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, the rock art may have held ritual or territorial significance, possibly linked to landscape features such as Doagh Isle. Its placement on a prominent ridge suggests it was visible to travelers and may have been associated with navigation or seasonal movement.

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