Derryarkane: Five Stone Circle CO106-019 & Standing Stone CO106-057

Derryarkane Five Stone Circle is on the north side of the Mealagh Valley, about 8km from Bantry and beside a farm road. The north portal is fallen and the interior filled with field clearance. About 25m south of it is Standing Stone CO106-057 which is less than 3' high, with a long axis that is roughly east / west. Just east of a line between them is a stone cairn of uncertain age, possibly recent. Myler reports other stones in the vicinity.

Derryarkane Stone Circle and its outlying Standing Stone comprise National Monument No.600 and are owned by the state. Curiously enough, the positions recorded for these monuments in the Inventory are incorrect though the online register has been corrected. My GPS co-ordinates for them are given above, after the original official (but incorrect) NGRs.

Primary survey was from the Standing Stone because the horizons are less obscured from there:

South is in a dip from the Standing Stone [Pic] and probably from the Stone Circle as well [Pic] but it is currently impossible to compare relative accuracy.

North from the Standing Stone is indicated by the base of a hill, at the left side of a dip, but the view is obscured [Pic]. From the Stone Circle it is on a slope and there is no sharp notch at the intersect of near and far [Pic].

The north-eastern lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. zone spans a dip. 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 is on a hilltop and 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 is indicated by a minor top on the rising slope of a major top. Between them, summer solstice is on a high point that is the visible end of the local ridge.

The view is similar from the circle but largely obscured. Accurate comparison is thus not possible in this axial direction but summer solstice sunrise seems to have moved to the intersect notch [Pic].

Eastwards, the equinox is at the intersect of far and near. The stone's axis is a week or so south of it - an early warning of spring equinox. To the right, the base of the big hill is half-way to winter cross-quarter, which itself is on the right-hand hilltop. To the left, a hilltop (obscured) is half-way to summer cross-quarter, which itself is in a dip.

Essentially the same from the circle but any subtleties are obscured [Luni-solar zone] | [Solar zone].

The south-eastern lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. zone is a good fit with both major and minor standstillsLunistice positions vary cyclically over an 18.6 year period but are fairly static for more than a year at either end of the range marked by breaks. Winter solstice is on a slightly dished hilltop with its half-month bracket in the preceeding notch.

The view from the Circle is essentially identical [Pic] as it only entails a short move away from this horizon.

The south-western lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. zone spans a dip. 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 is marked by a hilltop, 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 is on rising local ground. This intersect between far and near marks the lunar minor eighth and the major eighth appears to be at the bottom of the dip after running down the slope of a minor top. Winter solstice is in a dip between the lunar mid­point and its adjacent sixteenth.

From the circle, the intersect has moved south so that the solstice is in the resultant notch [Pic]. Probably axial but currently impossible to be sure.

The west is a rising local slope, largely obscured by nearby hedges. A lack of survey points and the forestry plantation mean that there are no reliably observable subtleties of fit. Because of the higher horizon, the stone axis is towards equinox / summer cross-quarter mid­point in this direction.

The circle shows some differences because this is the closest horizon but they are not easy to quantify: see [Whole W luni-solar zone] | [W central solar zone].

The north-western 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 is on the rising slope, well before the hilltop.

So, it looks as if the Stone Circle was sited so as to place summer solstice sunrise and winter solstices sunset in axially indicated intersect notches. The Standing Stone may well offer extra precision at other times but obscuration of skylines by vegetation makes accurate comparative analysis impossible.

• Kealkill Stone Circle is over the ridge, 1.8km north (3°)
• Ardrah Stone Row is up the valley, 2km east (67°)

Technical Notes | Top

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References

• Archaeological Survey of Ireland, record details. www.archaeology.ie/archaeological-survey-ireland
• POWER, D. et al. 1992 Archaeological Inventory of County Cork, Volume 1: West Cork. Dublin: Stationary Office. p24, no.72 & p53, no,337.
• MYLER, David 1998 An Archaeological Survey of the Mealagh Valley. Mealagh Valley Community Development Assoc. p36-38, no.22.