Baurgorm: Five Stone Circle CO118-042

About 3km south of Bantry town, this is the most westerly of two Five Stone Circles in Baurgorm townland. Access is by farm track, from the east.

This small circle with a fallen south portal is far from circular and almost seems to have two axial stones. The north sidestone is similar to the axial while the south sidestone is tall and thin. A large stone lying just 2m to the south has been recorded as a possible Standing Stone.

Letterlicky Cairn is just left of due South [Pic].

Knocknaveagh summit is just left of due North [Pic].

The north-east axial direct­ion, to­wards the head of the valley, is ob­scured by trees and buildings but it looks as though the major end of the lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. cycle is at the foot of the northern upslope. South of the trees are the slopes of Spratt Hill, where markers for the minor end of the lunistice cycle and the period surrounding the summer cross-quarters may be found.

The top of Spratt Hill covers the wider equi­noctial zone with just about everything getting a good marker.

An im­portant part of the south-east slope is ob­scured but the minor end of the lunistice range occurs at an obvious step while the winter solstice sunrise is just before another and the lunar mid­point just after it. The major end of the lunistice range is on a more distant horizon.

The west­ern hori­zon has three prom­inent dips and the southern one marks the minor standstillLunistice positions vary cyclically over an 18.6 year period but are fairly static for more than a year at either end of the range. High ground south of this is above the axial stone and the major standstill is at a slight break now occupied by a house.

The central dip of the west­ern ridge, at Derreen­greanagh, is vaguely equinoctial and indicated by the acute angle formed by the meeting of the axial stone and north sidestone.

Standing Stone CO118-083 is not visible from here.

The north most saddle, at Scart­baun, is rather humpy-bumpy and thus provides a number of useful markers. There is also a Standing Stone over there (CO118-035) but below the horizon.

The sidestone alignment indicates summer solstice sunset.

The main purpose of this circle seems to be exploitation of the approximate symmetry of the western ridge. It lies in the bottom of a valley, between two sites that are Stone Row / Standing Stone combinations. If the large stone lying near the circle really was a standing stone then it was probably there before the circle, as part of a multiple standing stone arrangement. Alternatively it could be the remains of a Standing Stone Pair.

• Cullomane West Standing Stone & Stone Row are visible 230m due east.
• Derreengreanagh Standing Stones & Stone Row are just out of sight in a saddle 680m to the west.
• Wedge Tomb CO118-039 is on the ridge to the north-north-west.

This circle is the westmost of a local group of Five-Stone Circles:

• Baurgorm (East) with its accompanying Stone Pair is 1.2km to the north-east at the other end of the townland.
• Cullomane East is 2.2km to the east, on the far side of Spratt Hill.

Technical Notes | Top

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References

• Archaeological Survey of Ireland, record details. www.archaeology.ie/archaeological-survey-ireland
• Ó'NUALLÁIN, SEÁN 1975 The Stone Circle Complex of Cork and Kerry. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 105:83-131, no.46.
• Ó'NUALLÁIN, SEÁN 1984 A Survey of Stone Circles in Cork and Kerry. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 84c:1-77, p43, no.86.
• POWER, D. et al. 1992 Archaeological Inventory of County Cork, Volume 1: West Cork. Dublin: Stationary Office. p23, no.63.