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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 Clare, Doolin

Doolin: Stepped Barrow & Standing Stone CL008-062001 & 062002

NGR 107660/196819 (IR 07676 ITM 96795 / 53.01418, -9.37633) [Googlemap]

Trajectories 1200BCE. Tap/Click pics for big ones.
Panoramic view with luni-solar trajectories from Doolin Stepped Barrow, Clare, Ireland. Stepped Barrow CL008-062 is on the top of Stoolery Hill which is above Doolin village and south of the R479 / R459 junction. It is the west-most of a local group of seven barrows and there is a Standing Stone inside it.

South is at a step in a hilltop [Pic].

North is on a slope of nearer ground, framed by more distant hills [Pic].

NE from Doolin Stepped Barrow, Clare, Ireland. To the north-east a ridge of higher ground effectively indicates the lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. range with the major limit being at the foot of the hill and the minor limit just beyond the end of the ridge.

E from Doolin Stepped Barrow, Clare, Ireland. The lowest point of the eastern horizon, a quarter-month north of the equinox, is at the foot of a hill. The hilltop's north basal step is the equinox itself and the south basal step is a half-month to the south of the equinox.

SE from Doolin Stepped Barrow, Clare, Ireland. The south-east horizon is rather lacking in obvious significant features. Nonetheless, the minor end of the lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. range turns around a dip and slight breaks provide several other useful markers.

SW from Doolin Stepped Barrow, Clare, Ireland. South-westwards, the cliffs make high precision markers for the winter solstice. The lunar mid­point is also well favoured.

W from Doolin Stepped Barrow, Clare, Ireland. WNW from Teergonean Unlisted Standing Stone. The west is largely sea horizon which extends round to the south end of the Arran Islands. The sea/land intersect there is a marker for the half-month to the south of the summer cross-quarters.

W from Teergonean Unlisted Standing Stone. An unlisted Standing Stone is 365m away, near Barrow CL008-067. From the position (IR 08021 ITM 96763) of the unlisted Standing Stone, the Standing Stone here, on top of this Stepped Barrow, cuts the sea horizon and marks the quarter-month north of the equinox.

Both these Standing Stones cut the horizon when seen from Barrow CL008-071 and Barrow CL008-069001, which are both a further 365m or so to the east of the unlisted stone.

NW from Doolin Stepped Barrow, Clare, Ireland. Summer cross-quarter would be between the hilltops of the Arran Islands, and the northmost end of the islands is at about SXQ+15. This means that their landmass as a whole has been used as a marker for the month centred on the cross-quarters [Enlargement].

It appears that the southmost end of Connamara marks the summer solstice with an offshore island for its half-month bracket and the lunar mid­point [Enlargement].

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