What is recorded here

Rock art in Gortacloghane is an earthfast sandstone boulder on a south-facing slope above the Blackwater river valley, bearing cup-and-ring motifs and three triangular cupmarks. A. Lambe identified the markings in 2015, revealing that someone cut deliberate shapes into the stone long before written records reached that remote Kerry pasture. The slight fracture and rough texture suggest age, while the careful placement of each mark suggests pride.

In rough pasture (174m OD), on a S-facing slope, on SE spur of Mullaghanattin mountain range and overlooking the Blackwater river valley S->W; Coniferous forestry SE->S. Located c. 50m to W of post and wire fence and stream (long-axis N-S). A slightly rough and fractured, earthfast sandstone boulder (dims. 02.13m N-S; 1.52m E-W; max. H 0.68m at S) having a rectangular decorated surface on two aspects of the stone. The N-facing aspect has a small decorated surface (dims. 0.15m N-S; 0.30m E-W) at its E end. It bears motifs consisting of a cup-and-ring motif (overall diam. 10cm; ring Wth 1.5cm; D 5mm; cup diam. 5.5cm; D 14mm) at W side and a cup-and-ring motif (overall diam. 10cm; ring Wth 1.5cm; D 5mm; cup diam. 5cm; D 15mm) at E side of decorated surface. These are conjoined by a short, linear groove (L 2.5cm; Wth 2cm; D 10mm). A cupmark (diam. 5cm; D 11mm) is located 4cm to E. The gentle S-facing aspect (dims. 0.16m N-S; 0.16m E-W) bears three cupmarks located centrally upon top of stone which are arranged in a triangular format. The largest cupmark (diam. 3.5cm; D 5mm) is at E, with a second cupmark (diam. 3cm; D 2mm) at N and a third cupmark (diam. 3cm; D 5mm) at W. This monument was initially identified as rock art by A. Lambe (2015). Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 6 July 2017

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