Standing stones

Standing Stone, Glencullen (location)

Often monuments help to illustrate how much the physical landscape can change around them. The standing stone in Glencullen is a good example of this. Today it is located in the middle of a golf course. The physical landscape changes, whether through the force of nature or as a result of man-made development/change.

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Standing Stone, Glencullen (location)
Copyright managed by the Library Council

Standing Stone, Glencullen (location)

Copyright managed by the Library Council

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Standing stones are something of a curiosity, as little is known of their intended function. It is believed that rituals and other ceremonies would have been carried out around them. They were also known as gallauns or menhirs down in the south of Ireland. Possible uses of standing stones include helping to strengthen stone- walls at intervals or rubbing-stones for cattle.

However, some are no doubt from the remains of graves or indeed stone circles. Hence the superstition, people believed that as long as they were still standing, no bad luck would befall them.

Standing stones vary in date from about the late Bronze Age period to the Early Iron Age period. They even remained in use during the early Christian period, together with ring-barrows and provided inspiration for the ogham-inscribed stones of that period.

The standing stone in Glencullen is 1.83 metres high and is made of quartz. It has come to be known locally as 'Queen Mab'. Apparently the stone has superstitious connotations. A local resident, with family connections in the area for over 300 years, Colonel Fitzsimon maintains the stone measures at least 9.15 metres down into the ground. His grandfather and a group of other people dug that far down and did not reach the bottom of the stone.

Today the landscape is greatly altered around the standing stone and it is now located in the middle of a golf course.

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