Rock art at Drumirril, Co. Monaghan

These wonderful pictures of Rock Art at Drumirril, near the border of County Monaghan and County Louth were taken by AnneMarie Moroney, who has documented the Winter Solstice phenomenon at Dowth.

The most common rock art designs are cup and ring marks. The art is found in most cases on natural rock outcrops, but some examples have been found on standing stones and megalithic passage mounds. There is a concentration of rock art in Cork and Kerry, but rock art is found all around Ireland. In Louth, all the rock art is confined to the north west of the county, forming a group with clusters of rock art in southeast Monaghan.

Rock art is believed to date from the late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age, and the purpose of the art has been speculated on by many. Some believe they are astronomical markings, while others believe they resemble ground plans of ring forts and enclosures.

See this page about Rock Art glossary.

Back to the Ancient Sites index