The Mealagh valley has many historical and prehistoric sites of interest, including many standing stones, a 5 stone circle, stone rows and an Ogham inscribed stone nearby the river. The Mealagh Valley runs north-east from Bantry, with its fast-flowing river rising on the slopes of Nowen Hill and entering Bantry Bay around 16 km away on the northern edge of town. The valley is flanked by the Maughanaclea Hills to the north and the heathery slopes of Mullaghmesha to the south. The valley itself is studded with drumlins formed by glacial action, many of which are topped with ring-forts dating back to the Bronze Age. Within the valley there is an abundance of rich green farmland, interspersed with pockets of woodland, blanket bog, diverse hedgerows and wildflower-filled verges. Mealagh valley is home to a range of historical sites, with many ringforts, tombs and standing stones. The valley once formed the border between the territories of the O’Sullivan and O’Donovan clans, and has been the site of a number of battles and skirmishes between them in the 1600s. The rich history of the valley is described and mapped in ‘An Archaeological Survey of the Mealagh Valley’ by David Myler.
External Links:
https://www.mealaghvalley.com/