With an internal diameter of just 5.5 metres, this subcircular enclosure consists of a single course of large stones, though keen observers might spot evidence of what could be a second wall further down the slope. Such a compact structure raises intriguing questions about its original function; whilst it may have served as a cashel, a type of stone fort common in medieval Ireland, its diminutive size makes this interpretation somewhat puzzling.

The site’s identity has shifted through the centuries, at least in the eyes of mapmakers and local tradition. When Ordnance Survey cartographers first documented it in the 19th century, they confidently labelled it a ‘Fort’ on their detailed six-inch maps. However, subsequent editions tell a different story, redesignating the site as a ‘Children’s Burial Ground’, a classification that speaks to a darker chapter in Irish social history. These cillíní, as they’re known in Irish, were unconsecrated burial grounds typically used for unbaptised infants, stillborn children, and others deemed unfit for churchyard burial according to Catholic doctrine.

Whether this stone circle began its life as a defensive structure, a ceremonial site, or something else entirely before becoming a burial ground remains uncertain. The archaeological record, as documented in the comprehensive 1983 Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, offers tantalising hints but no definitive answers. What is clear is that this unassuming ring of stones has witnessed centuries of human activity, serving different communities in different ways as beliefs and needs evolved over time.