The name itself offers a glimpse into the site's layered history; whilst the modern Irish placename translates to 'the big valley', the older form preserved on the map suggests something different entirely, possibly relating to a personal name or forgotten local tradition.

The monument forms part of Donegal's rich prehistoric landscape, where ancient communities left their mark through stone structures that have endured for millennia. Like many megalithic sites across Ireland, its exact purpose remains somewhat enigmatic, though it likely served ritual, burial, or ceremonial functions for the people who constructed it. The structure's placement within An Srath Mór is no accident; prehistoric peoples often chose locations with specific views, alignments, or relationships to the surrounding landscape that held meaning we can only partially reconstruct today.

What makes this site particularly intriguing for historians and archaeologists is how it demonstrates the continuity of place through time. From its prehistoric origins through to its recording in gothic script on Victorian maps, and now its documentation in modern archaeological surveys, Carrickatinyan represents thousands of years of human engagement with this corner of Donegal. The site stands as a tangible link to Ireland's deep past, offering visitors a chance to literally touch stones that were positioned by human hands long before recorded history began.