The site of Ireland's Stonehenge, a vast stone monument larger than its English equivalent, is to be saved from the bulldozer in an area earmarked for major development.

The footprint of the monument - destroyed some time between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries - will not be touched during construction of a huge concert arena and 500 houses outside Dundalk, Co. Louth.

The conditions attached to planning permission for the development at Carn Beg include one rule which prevents the site of Ireland's Stonehenge from being damaged or built upon. More later.

"Ireland's Stonehenge" site to be preserved

Carnbeg development will see site of monument maintained.

(Dundalk Democrat, page 3, November 7th, 2007)

By Anne Marie Eaton
A site of international archeological importance will not be interfered with if the planned arena and housing development at Carnbeg goes ahead.
The site on the Armagh Road is known as "Ireland's Stonehenge", and was once the location of a massive monument bigger than the Stonehenge which stands today in England.
County Council planners recommended that the site remain exempt from development when dealing with the major planning application for the housing and arena, the design of which has been inspired by Newgrange.
A report on the application stated, "It is important that the archeology on site is protected. A planning condition to secure a comprehensive archeological evaluation of the site prior to the commencement of the development will be included.
"In particular, I consider that it is very important that an area adjacent to the Armagh Road should not be interfered with in any way owing to the extent of known archeological sites located there."
The archeological importance was included as one of the 43 conditions attached to the application being granted.
It states that an archeologist must be appointed to carry out a geophysical survey of the site, who will then submit a written report to the planning authority and Department of the Environment.
There can be no site preparation or construction work until this process has been completed and the condition once again re-iterates, "The area to the front of the development adjoining the Armagh Road shall be kept free from development, protected from damage during construction and shall be maintained in a proper and satisfactory manner."
It has been recorded that the massive circular stone structure was still in existence at Carnbeg in 1748, but by 1907 it had vanished completely.
The exact site of Ireland's Stonehenge was unknown until 1988, when an aerial photo from 18 years earlier positively identified Carnbeg as the site of the structure.
Last year an archeological survey of the site revealed the remains of an enormous triple ringed structure beneath the surface.

http://www.dundalktoday.com/ViewArticle ... ID=3453437

This is from Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837, P.572):

On the plains of Ballynahatna are the remains of a Druidical temple partly enclosed by a curving rampart, on the outside of which is part of a circle of upright stones; and on a rising ground near this place is a circular fort surrounded by a double fosse and rampart, supposed to have been thrown up by the earliest inhabitants of the country.

Developer
interested
in revealing
Stonehenge

(Dundalk Democrat, Page 10, November 14th, 2007)

By Anne Marie Eaton
DEVELOPER Philip Kirk has said this week that he will definitely be
interested in uncovering the remains of the "Irish Stonehenge" which is
hidden beneath the Carnbeg soil.
The site, which is of international importance archeologically, cannot be
interfered with during the construction of the planned major housing
development, national arena and expansion of the Park Inn hotel.
Records indicate that a circular stone structure was still in existence at
Carnbeg in 1748, but by 1907 had vanished completely. In 1988, an aerial
photo from 18 years earlier positively identified Carnbeg as the site of the
'Stonehenge' structure.
Last year an archeological survey of the site revealed the remains of an
enormous triple ringed structure beneath the surface.
Speaking this week Philip Kirk, whose family acquired the land almost 30
years ago, said he has high hopes to have the site professionally excavated.
"The site will be preserved but in the long term we would like the area to
be fully investigated by archeologists to discover what is there, to
basically strip back the earth and see what remains of Ireland's Stonehenge.
"Then, if we can perhaps preserve the stones on-site, it would be fantastic
to have something that will attract people to the area who are interested in
seeing such an important archeological site."
Mr Kirk added that the plans are a few years down the line.
"Nothing could take place until after our development plans are complete and
even then I would think that there would have to be a lot of discussion and
preliminary work by archeologists, but the basic answer to the question is
yes, I would love to uncover what is there."
Mr Kirk said his family did not initially realise what lay hidden under the
land.
"It was around 1982, two years after we bought the place that we first found
out about its relevance.
"Then when we were working on the golf course we began to realise exactly
what we were sitting on.
"To uncover Ireland's only Stonehenge would be absolutely amazing."

I've found the following in an 1822 German book and would appreciate some help translating it into English:



There is a brief mention of Ballynahatne and Stonehenge. Any help translating is appreciated.

This very short passage, appearing to refer to Ireland's Stonehenge, appeared in James Norris Brewer's "The Beauties of Ireland":

And this (also very brief) reference is from Townsend Young's History of Ireland:

Another very brief reference in Joseph Guy's "Elements of British History" (1836):

I am continuing to research this fascinating site near Dundalk and have updated the Ireland's Stonehenge page with some new information:

http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancientsites/stonehenge/irelandstonehenge.html

I hope to write a book about this monument in time.

can you put direct google map link to it

HEre you go:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.0 ... 9&t=h&z=16

It's where that roadway up to the golf club loops, just beside the words "New Road". Hope this helps.

See also:

http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancients ... magery.php