Grange Stone Circle
Grange Stone Circle
Composed of 113 standing stones, the Grange Stone Circle is the largest and finest in Ireland. It was built c. 2,200 B.C. after the arrival of the Bronze Age People in Lough Gur. It is a ritual site akin to our churches of the present day and also served as an astronomical calendar. We can only speculate on the rituals which took place here but know that they were of great importance also to people from surrounding settlements. The circle is aligned on the sunrise of the summer solstice. Included in the archaeological finds were thousands of sherds of Beaker pottery. The breaking of Beaker pots against the standing stones seems to have been part of a ceremony. The largest stone is called Rannach Crom Dubh and is over 40 tonnes in weight and was transported over a distance of 3 miles.
Enclosed habitation sites on Knockadoon
Enclosed Habitation on Knockadoon
The time came when people began building circular walled enclosures around their houses. This was partially defensive and for enclosing cattle by night. The structures of the houses within had changed very little from Neolithic times.
Circles O and P
Circle O is a stone circle, a ritual site like Grange Stone Circle – different in that there is also an inner circle.
Circle P is a burial mound and dates from the early bronze age. Two pottery vessels described as urns were found during excavation.
