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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, Bantry

Derreengreanagh: Anomalous Stone Group CO118-038

NGR 10086/04594 (IW 00844 ITM 45952 / 51.657835, -9.43359) [Googlemap]

Trajectories 1200BCE. Tap/Click pics for big ones.
Panoramic view with luni-solar trajectories c.1200BCE from Derreengreanagh Anomalous Stone Group, Cork, Ireland. About 2km south of Bantry and sitting in a saddle, Derreen­greanagh Anomalous Stone Group is really two monuments: A Three Stone Row that has fallen and a Standing Stone that is probably part of a Three Standing Stone arrangement that was erected later.

South is on local high ground [Pic].

North is at the left end of a mountain ridge [Pic].

NE from Derreengreanagh Anomalous Stone Group, Cork, Ireland. The saddle at the east end of the ridge marks the summer cross-quarters. A rounded hump in the centre of it marks summer solstice and it looks like the Stone Row may have indicated this.

NE from Derreengreanagh Anomalous Stone Group, Cork, Ireland. This Standing Stone and Standing Stone CO118-083, c.30m away, form an alignment towards Glandart hill top which peeps over a nearer ridge. The alignment to Glandart hill marks a lunar eighth, while the rocky ridge indicated by the row covers the whole lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. range. Horizon humps around 70° are not natural but recent, as may be seen from older pics: [General view]  | [Standing Stone axis].

E from Derreengreanagh Anomalous Stone Group, Cork, Ireland.

Why two Standing Stones here? Look east to the equi­noctial dip: From the north-east Standing Stone its declination is about -0.13°. From the south-west one it is about +0.13°. A semi-diameter or so between them.

SE from Derreengreanagh Anomalous Stone Group, Cork, Ireland. The south-eastern dip is half-way between equinox and cross-quarter. Whether there should be an intersect between two slopes or a short view of distant horizon between them is uncertain. The lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. zone runs across a very local hilltop where the true profile is again unknown.

SW from Derreengreanagh Anomalous Stone Group, Cork, Ireland. For the south-western view, exact position is critical. The lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. range runs down a very local slope to meet the sea at the south side of Dunmanus Bay. The distant peninsula end is mostly concealed but Knockaughna summit marks winter solstice sunset from the Stone Row. This is not visible from the Standing Stone. Thus the Stone Row was probably there first.

W from Derreengreanagh Anomalous Stone Group, Cork, Ireland. Westwards, winter cross-quarters are at the sea/land intersect of the north side of Dunmanus Bay. The intersect between distant and local ground is a quarter-month south of the equinox. North of that, vegetation conceals the profile of a rising slope.

NW from Derreengreanagh Anomalous Stone Group, Cork, Ireland. To the north-west it seems that the cross-quarter/solstice mid­point is at some bit of a hump with the following luni-solar sequence running through a dip and the eighth at the bottom.

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