Knocknakilla: Five Stone Circle CO048-095

Knocknakilla Five Stone Circle is about 3km north of Carriganimmy, 6km south of Millstreet, 10km north-west of Macroom. The site is a National Monument (no.420) and open to the public. It consists of a Five Stone Circle with a Standing Stone Pair (probably earlier) about 3m to the south-west and a Radial Stone Cairn (probably later) c.7m to the east.

Excavation of the circle (Gogan 1931) revealed:

• A flagged floor and "great number of quartzite stones...chiefly about the portal"
• "No trace of an interment and no osteological remains of any kind"

No plan or section diagrams were published.

This survey is from the circle but views from all three monuments would be quite similar with perhaps some subtle changes due to their different positions. Three stones of the circle remain upright, apparently the portals and west sidestone.

Much of the horizon is now obscured by forestry but a few older photos have made useful patches.

South is obscured but close to 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 moonrise and possibly near a break in the slope [Pic].

North is obscured but in the middle of a low and gently undulating distant horizon segment that has lunar major 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 at both terminal intersects [Pic].

The north-eastern circle axis seems to be just beyond lunar 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 which is at or close to the intersect of local slope and distant ground. Summer solstice sun rises from a dip in the slope and 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 from the crest of a rise.

The key thing about the east is that the local hilltop is half-way between equinox and winter cross-quarter and its northern basal intersect notch is half-way between equinox and summer cross-quarter.

The south-east is com­pletely ob­scured and the true profile of the slope unknown.

The south-western circle axis indicates lunar 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 setting into a dip. This begins a useful sequence of intersecting profiles that provide good markers for this lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. zone.

To the west, winter cross-quarter sunset is in the basal dip of a run of hills. The first hilltop is half-way to the equinox which is in the lowest dip, though not central. Summer cross-quarter / equinox mid­point is at a slight break before a hilltop and the basal step of the sequence is a quarter-month from the cross-quarter.

The north-western dip has the lunar minor eighth at the bottom with summer cross-quarter on the swell of the slope to its left and lunar major eighth on the hilltop to its right. 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 distant ground just beyond the intersect.

There are many more bronze age monuments in the area but the nearest surveyed ones are well to the south:

• Farrannahineeny Stone Row is c.25km south-south-west (198°)
• Coolmountain Stone Circle is c.26km south-south-west (203°)
• Gortloughra Stone Pair is c.31km south-west (215°)

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References

• Archaeological Survey of Ireland, record details. www.archaeology.ie/archaeological-survey-ireland
• POWER, D. et al. 1997 Archaeological Inventory of County Cork, Volume III: Mid Cork. Dublin: Stationary Office. p15, no.6469; p31, no.6558; p18, no.6490.
• GOGAN, L.S. 1931 A Small Stone Circle at Muisire Beag. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 36:9-19.
• 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.75.
• Ó'NUALLÁIN, SEÁN 1984 A Survey of Stone Circles in Cork and Kerry. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 84c:1-77, p32, no.54.
• Ó'NUALLÁIN, SEÁN 1984 Grouped Standing Stones, Radial-Stone Cairns and Enclosures in the South of Ireland. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 114:63-79, p77, no.14.
• Ó'NUALLÁIN, SEÁN 1988 Stone Rows in the South of Ireland. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 88c:179-256, p242, no.82.