Rathfran Stone Circle

In pasture, located on a ridge, just below and to E of the highest point, close to the break of slope where ground falls away to S, giving excellent views over the Palmerstown River estuary and Kilalla Bay. Nephin and the Nephin Beg mountain range define the far horizon to S-SW. There is a mound (MA015-025002-) 50m to SW.

This stone circle is a National Monument in State ownership (No. 389). It is indicated as ‘Cromlech’ on the 1838 OS 6-inch map where it is depicted as simple circle. It, and the adjacent mound (MA015-026002-), are indicated as ‘Cromlechs’ and are both depicted as rough circles of boulders on the 25-inch plan; on the 1922 6-inch edition the stone circle is marked with a dolmen-type symbol.

De Valera & Ó Nualláin (1964, 94) record this stone circle as follows: ‘Marked ‘cromlech’ on the O.S.6” 1837. This is the more northerly of the two monuments marked under the name ‘Cromlechs’ in Rathfran in the current edition [1922] of the map. It is a stone circle consisting of some sixteen stones five of which are now prostrate. Those remaining erect are from 0.5 m. to 1.60 m. high. The stones vary from 0.85 m to 2.00 m. in length and from .40 m. to 1.2m. in thickness. The area enclosed measures 17.00 m. (N-S) by 19.00 m. (E-W).’

An inspection in 1994 recorded the stone circle as a circular area (19.5m E-W; 19m N-S) defined by a broad, low bank (Wth 4-5m; int. H 0.2m; ext. H 0.4m at N, 1.1m at S) in which are set twelve upright boulders. The boulders are rounded or irregular in form, and vary in size (Circ. c. 2.5-4m) and height (0.8-1.45m). They are set at irregular intervals around the circumference of the bank, some set against the inner face, but others set in the bank. Two large prostrate stones and a number of smaller stones protrude randomly from the bank, some or all of which may be the result of field clearance. The bank is generally rather low and degraded; there are two corresponding gaps (Wth 2-2.5m) at the E and W.