This stone row is located immediately east of the cross roads at Lough Atooreen. There are five standing stones and one recumbent stone aligned approximately NE-SW. The tallest stone is 1.35m high and weighs about eight tonnes. It dates from the Bronze Age c. 1600 -1500 BC. The stone row is prominently located on the crest of a small peat-covered ridge on the northern slopes of Knockbreteen hill with sweeping views of the Coomhola valley to the west and Knockboy (the highest peak in Co. Cork) to the northwest. The site was excavated in 1977 by Ann Lynch on behalf of Dúchas. Around the time the stone row was constructed, before peat growth invaded the ridge, the local landscape was one of open woodland containing birch, alder, holly, oak and Scots Pine. The excavation carried out did not shed any light as to the purpose of the stone row or what function it might have for the community that built it. Generally, stone rows have been labelled as possible route markers or territory boundaries. Some archaeologists suggest that they may have some ceremonial or ritual significance. Others speculate that the orientation may have a connection to lunar or solar events. Whatever the function, it is clear that Maughanasilly Stone Row was an important venue for gatherings of special significance for the local community.
External Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maughanasilly_Stone_Row