MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS
OF IRELAND.COM
OF IRELAND.COM
| LETTERGORMAN FOUR-POSTER STONE CIRCLE |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| This fine Four-Poster stone circle, marked on the OSI maps as ‘Stone Circle’ and distinctly shown as four stones on the Historic maps as ‘Gallauns’, is located SE of the town of Dunmanway (Dún Mánmhaí). The stone circle is located in level pasture atop a ridge overlooking valley of the Glashagloragh River to the south. The setting of three stones suggests a four - poster trapezium arrangement. The NW stone, the tallest, 3m in height, 1.6m in width &, 0.75m in depth. In line with this and 3.75m to the SE is a stone 2.15m in height, 1.35m in width & 0.6m in depth.. Third stone stands 1.4m to the east of first and is 2.1m in height, 1m in width & 0.9m in depth. A standing stone (CO121-033001) lies 45m to the west of this group. To the east of this group (c. 18m) in a lane-way lies a prostrate stone (1.6m x 0.7m x 0.6m). These monuments are closely related to stone circles in date & function, though much less numerous; of the six examples identified in Ireland to date, four are in West Cork, one in South-West Kerry & one in County Wexford. Although exact dating is lacking, they are likely to be Bronze Age in date. They are defined as a rectangular setting of stones whose sides average 4.8m east-west by 4.2m north-south. The stones are usually graded in height, with the tallest stone at either the south-west or north-east corner. Their closest counterparts are to be found in northern England & Scotland. |
| CO-ORDINATES 51 40' 24.778"N...9 3' 35.186"W |