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Anciently sacred because horizon shape & cyclical celestial patterns are in useful harmony at this place.

Orange lines mark the annual solar round. Lunistice positions over the 18.6 year lunar nodal cycle are blue. More about the Solar CalendarMore about the Lunar Calendar

mega-what / ancient sacred places / Ireland, West Cork, Reenascreena

Carrigagrenane: Five Stone Circle CO121-054

NGR 12592/04370 (IW 25913 ITM 43696 / 51.64145, -9.07092) [Googlemap]

Trajectories 1200BCE. Tap/Click pics for big ones.
Five Stone Circle CO121-054, Carrigagrenane, Cork, Ireland. Carrigagrenane Five Stone Circle is 7km or so to the north of Rosscarbery in West Cork. There are two upright stones, said to be the axial and north sidestone of a five-stone circle. Two other stones by the hedge may be related to it. Most of the horizons are obscured by hedges, scrub woodland and forestry.

Panoramic view with luni-solar trajectories from Carrigagrenane Five Stone Circle, Cork, Ireland. South is in a dip, at the intersect of local and more distant slopes [Pic].

North is at the right basal step of a hilltop [Pic].

The green line approximates hidden horizon.

NE from Carrigagrenane Five Stone Circle, Cork, Ireland. Axially East from Carrigagrenane Five Stone Circle, Cork, Ireland. North-east is largely obscured but would be a fairly local slope.

The circle's axis is somewhere between summer cross-quarter and the cross-quarter / equinox mid­point.

E from Carrigagrenane Five Stone Circle, Cork, Ireland. The intersect of local slope with the gently undulating south-eastern ridge is obscured but essentially equinoctial.

SE from Carrigagrenane Five Stone Circle, Cork, Ireland. The south-eastern horizon is largely concealed by a nearby hedge but parts of it are visible.

There is a long, fairly smooth ridge. Its highest top is the winter solstice / cross-quarter mid­point. The cross quarter is at its eastern base and the lunar limit at its western one. The eastmost top of the ridge is the equinox / cross-quarter mid­point.

SW from Carrigagrenane Five Stone Circle, Cork, Ireland. Axially W from Carrigagrenane Five Stone Circle, Cork, Ireland. To the south-west, winter cross-quarter sunset would seem to be at a step/notch with the lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. range on a fairly smooth slope below it.

W from Carrigagrenane Five Stone Circle, Cork, Ireland. If the purported axial stone really is one then the circle axis would be about 256° giving it a vaguely equinoctial orientation towards Carrig Fadda. From this angle the hill is very foreshortened and is also too shrouded in trees to be usefully surveyable.

NW from Carrigagrenane Five Stone Circle, Cork, Ireland. To the north-west the hilltop of Coomatallin is framed by nearer ridges. The east intersect indicates the major 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 by marking off a period of three years. The west intersect with a nearer hill is half-way between summer cross-quarter and solstice.

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