This ancient monolith measures approximately 1.7 metres in height, with a base width of 0.45 metres tapering to a maximum thickness of 0.3 metres. The stone is oriented along an east-northeast to west-southwest axis, its weathered surface bearing silent witness to centuries, perhaps millennia, of Irish weather and history.

The stone's surface once held a tantalising glimpse into the past; in 1889, the antiquarian Kinahan documented the presence of cup-marks carved into its face. These shallow, circular depressions were a common form of prehistoric rock art found throughout Ireland and Britain, often associated with Bronze Age ritual practices. Unfortunately, these ancient markings have since been lost to erosion or obscured by lichen and weathering, leaving modern visitors unable to trace the handiwork of our distant ancestors.

The setting itself tells a story of continuity and change. The gently sloping land that descends southward from the stone has likely remained boggy for centuries, preserving this monument in relative isolation. Such standing stones, whether erected as territorial markers, astronomical alignments, or for ritual purposes we can only guess at, remain enigmatic features of the Irish landscape. This particular example at Gortnavern stands as a reminder that even in the most unassuming corners of Donegal, traces of Ireland's deep prehistoric past endure.