Rock art in Rathclarish

In the Fogarty Manuscript (1851) in the National Folklore Collection there is an illustration of a boulder with rock art. The illustration shows an oval-shaped surface decorated with nine concentric circles, seven of which have a small central circle with three outer circles and two with a slightly larger central circle and two outer circles. It is described as being of, ‘green sandstone about 4½ ft [1.36m] long 2ft [0.6m] broad and thick. Dug out of a motte or forth on the NW side of the pass of Rathclarish about 200 yards [c. 180m] distant from the latter rath’. It is not clear, but the ‘motte or forth’, may refer to the largest ringfort in the townland which is called ‘Rathclarish’ (TS079-011----) or to an enclosure (TS079-009----) which is located in the NW portion of the townland. Both these monuments have been levelled. According to local information fragments of quern stones were found at Rathclarish fort as the monument was being bulldozed and these were reburied. It is possible that the boulder may also have been reburied after it was uncovered. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 21 March 2023

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, the concentric circles may represent symbolic or ritual markings, possibly linked to celestial observation or territorial markers. No specific folklore is recorded for this site.