What is recorded here

Beal East holds a rectangular standing stone, 1.36m high and 2.1m thick, set in flat pastureland 165m from the Shannon estuary. It narrows slightly toward the top, like a finger pressed into the earth rather than a monument built for display. In that open stretch of Kerry, the stone may have marked a boundary, a meeting place or a warning about water rising from the north. Whatever it meant, it still points upward while the land around it remains quietly occupied by grass, sky and the memory of people who watched the estuary breathe.

Situated in flat pastureland with the Shannon estuary 165m N. The stone stands 1.36m high and is a maximum of 1.3m wide at the base and an average of 2.1m thick. It is roughly rectangular both in plan and in elevation but decreases in thickness towards the top. The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 10. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 1 August 2013

Dated to the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, this standing stone may have functioned as a territorial marker or ceremonial monument. No specific folklore or inscriptions are associated with it, though its positioning near the Shannon estuary suggests a possible alignment or symbolic relationship with the landscape.

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