Breeny More Stone Circle

Axial stone circle in County Cork, Ireland
51°44′32″N 9°22′30″W / 51.742145°N 9.375097°W / 51.742145; -9.375097Elevation134 m (440 ft)Height2.42 m (8 feet)[1]Built1500–1000 BCOwnerOffice of Public Works
National monument of Ireland
Official nameBreeny More[2]Reference no.450

Breeny More Stone Circle is an axial stone circle and National Monument located in County Cork, Ireland.[3][4][5]

Location

Breeny More Stone Circle is situated 1 km (0.62 mi) southeast of Kealkill, overlooking Bantry Bay to the west. Another stone circle lies 175 m (574 ft) to the northeast.[6][7][8]

History

Boulder burials of this type are believed to date from the middle Bronze Age, i.e. 1500–1000 BC.[9] The toponym is from the Irish brúine móra, "great dwellings of the fairies."[10][11]

Description

This is a stone circle with four boulder burials. The circle has two entrance stones and an axial stone, with a main axis measuring 14 m (46 ft). It has a southeast–northwest axis, facing the rising sun.[12][13]

A "boulder burial" is a single large boulder sitting on three or four support stones; the term was coined by Seán Ó Nualláin in the 1970s. They are generally found in the southwest, and associated with standing stones and stone circles; some dispute that there were ever burial sites, as no human remains have ever been recovered.[9]

References

  1. ^ "megalithomania: Breeny More (Cork) :: Stone Circle :: Visit notes". www.megalithomania.com.
  2. ^ "National Monuments in State Care: Ownership & Guardianship - Cork" (PDF). Ireland: National Monuments Service. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Breeny Mor, stone circle - Sheep's Head Places". sheepsheadplaces.net.
  4. ^ "Breeny More and The Mealagh Valley". ancientstones.blogspot.ie.
  5. ^ Burl, Aubrey (12 July 2017). A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300114065 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Breeny More". www.irishstones.org.
  7. ^ "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy: Archaeology, Celtic studies, history, linguistics and literature". Royal Irish Academy. 12 July 1984 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Ireland, Royal Society of Antiquaries of (12 July 1975). "The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland". The Society – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b "Boulder Burials - Roaringwater Journal". roaringwaterjournal.com.
  10. ^ "Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla (Ó Dónaill): bruíon". www.teanglann.ie.
  11. ^ Mould, Daphne D. C. Pochin (12 July 1991). Discovering Cork. Brandon. ISBN 9780863221293 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ Wilson, Mike. "Breeny More Stone Circle & Boulder-Burials ~ mega-what.com Ancient Sacred Places". www.mega-what.com.
  13. ^ Pip. "BREENY MORE STONE CIRCLE/MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS OF IRELAND.COM". www.megalithicmonumentsofireland.com.