Standing stone in Quignalegan

In an area of undulating grassland, on the outskirts of Ballina Town, prominently sited on top of a knoll, overlooking the valley of the River Moy to W, with excellent views of Nephin and the Nephin Beg range in the distance to SW. There is a spring/area of wet ground at the base of the slope to SW. This standing stone is not shown on the 1837 OS 6-inch map, but is indicated and named ‘Standing Stone’ on the 1930 edition. An upright, pillar-like stone (H 2.5m; Wth 0.7m, 0.55m at top; T 0.26-0.36m), with a rectangular cross-section. It narrows slightly towards the top, which gives it a slightly ‘shouldered’ appearance. It leans gently to N, and is encircled by a few small stones, and by a slight depression, probably the result of farm stock using the stone as a scratching post. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 16 April 2018

Probably dating to the Late Neolithic or Bronze Age, this standing stone may have functioned as a territorial marker or ceremonial monument. Its prominent position suggests it could have been used for ritual purposes or as an astronomical observation point, aligned with landscape features such as the River Moy or distant mountain ranges.