Standing stones like this one are amongst Ireland’s most enigmatic prehistoric monuments, erected by communities whose motivations remain largely mysterious to us today.

The stone’s placement in good, flat agricultural land suggests it held significance for the people who erected it, possibly marking territorial boundaries, serving as a waymarker along ancient routes, or fulfilling some ritual or astronomical purpose. Standing stones are found throughout Ireland, with Donegal boasting a particularly rich collection of these monuments. They date primarily from the Bronze Age, roughly 2500 to 500 BCE, though some may be earlier or later.

This particular stone was documented as part of the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, conducted in 1983 by Brian Lacey and his team. The survey catalogued the county’s field antiquities from the Mesolithic period through to the 17th century, creating an invaluable record of Donegal’s archaeological heritage. Though broken now, the Drumnasillagh standing stone continues to mark its place in the landscape, a tangible link to the prehistoric communities who once called this corner of Donegal home.