Located between Rosscarbery and Glandore, Skibereen, Co. Cork, Ireland take is this perfectly preserved Bronze aged Stone Circle. From Clonakilty take the N71 west to Ross Carberry, just after the causeway take a left turn onto the R597, then after about 4 kilometres take a left turn, sign-posted for Drombeg circle, there is a car park on your right about 400 metres down this road.
Drombeg Stone Circle is also known as The Druid’s Altar and is probably Irelands most famous stone circle. It is an axial stone circle with the recumbent or axial stone lying to the south-west.
An axial stone is laid with the longest side in a horizontal, rather than vertical position.
The circle consists of thirteen remaining pillar stones (there were originally seventeen) that are graded from the two large portal stones, each 2 metres high, at the north-east towards the axial stone. The pillar stones are local sandstone and the axial has two cup marks, and an axe type carving, on it’s upper surface.
Fulacht Fiadh and Huts
Also present at the site is a “Fulacht fiadh”, a communal cooking pit with a hearth. Hot stones were taken from the fire and dropped into the water trough. You can also see the remains where two circular stone huts would have been with a doorway between them.
Excavations at the circle uncovered the charred remains of a cremated burial that has been dated to between 150 and 130 BC. So, although the circle was constructed in the Bronze Age, it was still being used when the Celtiberians arrived in Ireland.
Two other stone circles of Bohonagh and Reanascreena South are not far away.
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