Standing stone - pair, Lissahane, Co. Waterford

Co. Waterford |

Stone Monuments

Standing stone – pair, Lissahane, Co. Waterford

In a field near Lissahane in County Waterford, two prehistoric standing stones occupy a barely perceptible rise in otherwise flat ground. One still stands, a local stone with a triangular cross-section reaching 3.8 metres in height and oriented north to south. The other, measuring over three metres in length, lies prone on the earth beside it, as though it simply gave up at some point in the intervening millennia. Whether it fell under its own weight, was toppled deliberately, or was never quite finished being raised is not recorded anywhere.

Standing stones are among the most enigmatic survivals of prehistoric Ireland. They were erected across a vast span of time, most commonly during the Bronze Age, and their purposes remain genuinely uncertain, ranging from territorial markers and astronomical indicators to burial monuments or meeting points. The pair at Lissahane sits in what was presumably a deliberately chosen position, the slight rise making both stones visible across the surrounding level ground even if neither would dominate the landscape dramatically. Archaeological testing carried out around 2004 in the adjacent townland of Grennan, roughly 90 to 130 metres to the west, found no associated material of archaeological significance, leaving the stones without the kind of contextual evidence that might help explain their original function or the circumstances of their erection.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Standing stone – pair, Lissahane, Co. Waterford. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement