stones historical ireland

A 9ft high pillar stone with crosses on two faces in suitably named Giantsgrave off the N24. Signposted....

Less than 200m from Kilree Church is Glun Brighde (St. Brigid's Knee) a stone with the imprint of St. Brigid's knees, while a little further north is the inevitable blessed well dedicated to her....

The length of trail is 8km (5 miles). The actual walking will take you 2 - 2.5 hours, but there is a lot to see on the Trail, so you should allow 4 - 5 hours if you are to enjoy it fully.

The route is marked by yellow arrows on limestone plaques, with an occasional - walking man - symbol. There are stiles wherever you need to cross a wall....

A standing stone, 17 feet high, looking almost like a modern piece of sculpture.
An ogham inscription, possibly added later, reads MAQI-DECCEDDAS AVI TURANIAS (Of the son of Deich descendant of Torainn).- To no one is really sure what the scription on the stones means or who was Deich or Torainn.

As the stone is standing on private land, visitors will be asked to pay 2euro to the land owner to see the stone....

Birthplace of the National Flag. A large stone marks the location of the first raising of the familiar green, white and gold tricolour in 1848. A local Committee continue the tradition of raising the flag in the village each morning....

St Vauk or Beoc's Stone, a huge boulder on which the Saint is said to have floated across the Irish Sea in the 6th century....

An inscription on the south-east face records that Ternohc son of Ceran Bic put the place under the protection of St. Peter the Apostle. As Ternohc's death is recorded in 714 or 716, the inscription could make this the earliest historically datable stone monument in Ireland. Above the inscription is a Latin cross and, beneath it, a decorative equal armed cross in a circle.

The north-western face bears other forms of crosses, both with and without enclosing circle. The pillar stood at...

This little known and somewhat difficult to find monument, 'Diarmuid and Grainne's Bed', is located on a farm 1 mile south of Carrowkeel (alias Kerrykeel) village and about 1/4 mile to the east of the road to Rathmelton. The portal stones are a well matched pair some 6 feet high, supporting the front edge of a craggy, cup-marked capstone which has been slightly displaced...

A beautifully decorated cross-inscribed pillar standing in an old walled monastic enclosure, which also contains two smaller cross-slabs and the foundations of a number of beehive huts. Extensive excavations also revealed a 'founder's tomb' and a stone oratory preceded by a wooden structure....

Majestically towering over the Laois countryside is the Rock of Dunamaise - the remains of a celtic fortification. This is one of Ireland's most famous landmarks and has a long and diverse history attached to it. Aoife, daughter of the King of Leinster received it as a part of her dowry on her marriage to Strongbow. The fort was also part of the O'Moore territory. It is a gathering point for the O'Lalor Clan Rally which takes place in October....