Site Type: Stone Row
Irish Grid Ref: L9433882555
Location: Link to Bing Maps
 |
| The winter solstice sun sets behind the shoulder of Croagh Patrick. |
Description:
This stone row is described in the Journal Galway Archaeological Society (1988, pg 138) as follows;
"The stone row(figs 3 & 4; Pis 1-3) is marked as a Cromlech on the current edition OS 6" map, and occurs within the western quadrant of the large enclosure described above. The row consists of four stones in a NNE-SSW alignment. The stones, from the NNE, measure 0.45m high, 0.8m wide x 0.35m thick; lm high, lm wide x 0.6m thick; lm high, lm wide x 0.9m thick; 1.2 high, lm wide x 0.7m thick. The latter stone is presently vertically split. The stones are sub-rounded or sub-angular boulders. De Valera and O Nuallain (1964, 98-99) suggest that this is a five stone row, and that a prostrate stone nearby formed part of the original alignment. There are several prostrate stones in the vicinity, however, without archaeological excavation it is impossible to verify whether or not the present four stones represent the original extent of the monument. From the description above it is clear that there is an increase in the height of the stones of the row from NNE to SSW, rising in the direction of a niche in the eastern shoulder of Croagh Patrick, 2km directly south-south-west."
The first record I came across of this alignment is in an article in Archaeology Ireland in Winter 1999 on JSTOR by Gerry Bracken. Unusually this "setting" of the sun occurs around 1.45 - 1.50pm in the afternoon as it sets in a shoulder of Croagh Patrick.
Links to photographs;
Pictures of winter solstice sun-set (see 2nd picture) on www.castlebar.ie
Links for further information;
Youtube video of the setting sun by Dr Oliver Whyte
