Monthly Archives: October 2022

The Burren: Poulnabrone Dolmen…

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Stuart France

County Clare, Wednesday, 27th July 2022… *** *** By the time we came across this fellow  it had started raining in good earnest. *** ‘A dark sorrowful place’ *** Perhaps the well hag had taken against our pound coin? *** … Continue reading →

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The Burren: ‘Wedge Tomb’…

Posted on October 30, 2022 by Stuart France

County Clare, Wednesday, 27th July 2022… *** *** The presence of Skull Rock is probably responsible for the number of ‘tombs’ in the field across the track, which is now a road, of which there are, reputedly, a goodly number. … Continue reading →

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The Burren: Skull Rock…

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Stuart France

County Clare, Wednesday, 27th July 2022… *** *** A glacial erratic deposited in a ‘stony place’. *** *** The ancients would have venerated such a stone and may well have adapted it for symbolic purposes. *** *** The limestone ‘shelving’ … Continue reading →

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Killinaboy…

Posted on October 28, 2022 by Stuart France

County Clare, Wednesday, 27th July 2022… *** *** The ruined church at Killinaboy had a number of surprises in store for us. * The stump of a round tower, above, showed only a few signs of polygonal walling which is … Continue reading →

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Kilmacdough…

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Stuart France

County Galway, Wednesday, 27th July 2022… *** ‘Church of the son of the black man’ *** Standing at one hundred and twelve feet high the round tower here is the tallest in Ireland. *** *** It also leans alarmingly, as … Continue reading →

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‘Nellies Rock’?…

Posted on October 26, 2022 by Stuart France

County Roscommon, Tuesday 26th July 2022… *** *** The ‘oldest’ tomb at Carrowmore has recently been controversially dated to the Late Mesolithic, using the latest new-fangled dating method, but the folk of that time are not supposed to have been … Continue reading →

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Rath-Ra…

Posted on October 25, 2022 by Stuart France

County Roscommon, Tuesday 26th July 2022… *** *** Weirdly, our next site came with a, ‘beware of the bull’ sign! * And while there was no animal visible, there were signs of its presence liberally spread about the field. * … Continue reading →

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Two Bulls: the dark-haunched…

Posted on October 24, 2022 by Stuart France

County Sligo, Carrowmore, Tuesday 26th July 2022… *** *** Dark and dire, mighty in muzzle, long in horn; *** *** narrow flanked, beefy breasted; *** *** his thick-maned neck tough and strong; *** *** his haughty, curl-browed-head cocked high; *** … Continue reading →

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Two Bulls: the fair-horned…

Posted on October 23, 2022 by Stuart France

County Sligo, Carrowmore, Tuesday 26th July 2022… *** *** White his heavy mane and his massive hoofs pounded in purple; *** *** his body dyed, blood red, from the clay bog with a blank pap under breast and back; *** … Continue reading →

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Queen Maebh’s Cairn?…

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Stuart France

County Sligo, Carrowmore, Tuesday 26th July 2022… *** *** Whilst it is a reconstruction there is nothing to overtly suggest that it is modelled on the cairn on top of the hill? *** *** The name Maebh derives from ‘mead’ … Continue reading →

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