Standing stone, Carrowreagh or Craignacally, Co. Donegal
In 1987, archaeologist Van Hoek documented an intriguing prehistoric site in County Donegal that combines rock art with what may be an ancient standing stone.
Standing stone, Carrowreagh or Craignacally, Co. Donegal
The main feature sits on a small grassy outcrop that slopes gently southeast, about 122 metres southwest of a local landmark known as the Mass Rock. Despite centuries of weathering, the smooth surface of this rock still clearly shows a cupmark surrounded by three complete rings, a type of prehistoric art found throughout Ireland and Britain.
Just 14 metres south of this decorated rock stands a modest upright stone measuring 85 centimetres tall, with a base width of 90 centimetres tapering to 65 centimetres at the top. Whilst it lacks some of the typical characteristics archaeologists look for in prehistoric standing stones, its placement so close to the rock art panel suggests it may indeed be authentic. The stone’s long axis runs east to west, and its deliberate positioning near the rock art could indicate it served some ritual or ceremonial purpose for the people who created these markings thousands of years ago.
The site may be part of a larger prehistoric landscape, as Van Hoek recorded another possible standing stone 43 metres to the southeast. These kinds of monument clusters are common in Ireland, where Bronze Age communities often created complexes of ritual sites including rock art, standing stones, and burial monuments. The Carrowreagh Or Craignacally stones, whilst modest compared to more famous sites, offer a glimpse into how prehistoric peoples marked and used the Donegal landscape.





