Standing Stones in Caherlistrane & Kilcoona

A standing stone is a large upright stone erected during the prehistoric period.  They can be found alone, or part of a group, and are often found in pairs. It is not fully understood what the purpose of these stones were, but they were likely used for marking burials, boundaries or used in ceremonies as part of a wider ritual landscape.

There are 5 standing stones in the Caherlistrane Kilcoona area: a pair of stones in the townland of Ballinvoher and single stones in the townlands of Bunanraun, Crossursa and Largan.

 

Ballinvoher

The National Monuments Service describes the Ballinvoher standing stone pair as being on a slight rise in grassland, marked on the 3rd edition of OS 6-inch map (1920) as three small dots aligned northeast to southwest.  The site consists of two large, eroded limestone slabs set 2.2m apart. Both are sub rectangular in plan, but the north stone, with a length of 1.9m, is now prostrate. Like the south stone, with a height of 1.8m, it appears to have been formerly held in place by basal-packing stones. (GA042-010)

 

Bunanruan

Situated in the interior of a ringfort, straddling the boarder of Bunanruan and Liss townlands, the Bunanruan standing stone is a long thin stone, now lying horizontal. The site also contains a children’s burial ground, located on the Liss side of the ringfort. (GA042-038002)

 

Crossursa

The National Monuments Service describes the Crossursa standing stone as a thin rectangular limestone slab, with a height of 1.4m, aligned northwest to southeast.  It is situated in low-lying grassland, with the area to the south of the stone liable to flooding.  In the south corner of the same field there is a well, known as Saint Patrick’s well.  The monuments service also highlight a possible cross in a field further south, but no trace remains.  There is, however, the faint engraving of a cross on the north side of the standing stone, which may be the ‘cross’ mentioned above. (GA042-109)

 

Largan

The National Monuments Service describes the standing stone at Largan as a tall, thin slab of limestone conglomerate 2.05m in height, rectangular in plan and with its long axis running north to south.  It is situated on a rise 7m from a ringfort (GA042-167001-), which contains a souterrain.  The stone appears to be held in position by basal-packing stones, though field-clearance rubble has also been dumped against its base.  A children’s burial ground is located not far from the standing stone, at the lower edge of the field. (GA042-167003)

 

Sources:

• Standing Stones – Irish Archaeology Org
• Standing Stones, Rows and Pairs – Monumental Ireland
• National Monuments Service – Historic Environment Viewer

 

Please note:  All of the standing stones listed here are on private property and should not be accessed or entered without prior permission from the landowner.