What is recorded here

Standing stone in Derry West stood on a bogged ridge in County Kerry, watching the low land below like a sentinel until a treasure seeker threw it down. Part of the stone survived into the 1950s before disappearing entirely, leaving behind only the shape of the ridge and the memory of its height. The killer may have been greed, but the victim was sight itself: a place that gave up its marker and became impossible to find.

This standing stone is described in the OSNB as having been ‘lately thrown down by a treasure seeker’ (Kilcrohane, 27). Not marked on the OS maps, it was located on top of a ridge, in an area surrounded by bog. Its siting commanded a panoramic view across the neighbouring low-lying land. Part of the stone survived up to the 1950s, (local information), but is no longer visible. The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 238. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013

Likely dating to the Late Neolithic or Bronze Age, this standing stone may have had ritual or territorial significance, given its position on a prominent ridge. Its destruction by a treasure seeker suggests possible local folklore or belief in hidden wealth associated with the site.

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