MONUMENT OF THE MONTH |
JANUARY 2014 |
Lettergonnell Stone Row County Longford |
This small, peculiar stone row, not marked on either the OSI or Historic maps, is located on top of a drumlin in pasture, north of Ballinalee, ‘Beal Atha na Lao’, on a small road to Aghnacliff, ‘Achadh na Cloiche’. The row consists of four, widely-spaced, upright stones, aligned NE–SW, measuring 14.1m in overall length. The 1st stone measures 0.6m in height, 0.27m in width & 0.27m in depth, at the NE end of the row and leans to the west. Stones piled around its base are probably field-clearance debris. The 2nd stone measures 0.75 in height, 0.5m in width & 0.3m in depth, also leaning to the west and stands 4.25m to its SW. The 3rd stone measures 0.66m in height, 0.35m in width & 0.3m in depth and stands 3.7m from the previous one and its axis is transversly set to that of the row. There are some stones, again possibly field clearance, piled immediately to its west, including a stone 0.3m in height, 0.5m in width & 0.2m in depth set an angle; the function of this stone is unknown. The 4th stone measures 0.55m in height, 0.4m in width & 0.25m in depth and stands 4.9m to the SW. The stones are known locally as the ‘Croppies Graves’, i.e. reputed burial places for the insurgents of the 1798 rebellion. During land reclamation extensive ground disturbance was undertaken in this area. However, the rise upon which the monument is located was not disturbed but the pathway into the field was renovated and widened; its scarped edge is immediately adjacent to the upright at the SW end of the row. |
CO-ORDINATES RMP No.LF005-012 53 49’ 19.652” N…7 40’ 50.229” W |