Though the physical monument has long since vanished, its presence lingers in the historical record, captured on Ordnance Survey maps from the late 19th century. The second edition of the OS 6-inch map confidently marked this spot as a ‘Standing Stone’, whilst by the third edition, cartographers had already relegated it to ‘Gallan (site of)’, acknowledging its disappearance.

The antiquarian George Henry Kinahan documented this loss in 1885-6, noting with some regret that ‘there was, till of late years, a standing stone’ at this location. By the time of his writing, the stone had already been removed, likely repurposed for building material or cleared to improve the agricultural land. Today, visitors to this low-lying field near a stream will find no visible traces of the monument that once stood here, only the gentle slope of pasture where cattle now graze.

This vanished stone represents one of many prehistoric monuments that have been lost across Ireland’s landscape, casualties of agricultural improvement and development over the centuries. Its documentation in the Archaeological Survey of County Donegal serves as a reminder that our understanding of ancient Ireland often relies on historical records rather than physical remains. The survey, compiled by Brian Lacey and his team in 1983, continues to preserve these fragments of knowledge, ensuring that even sites without visible remains maintain their place in the archaeological record of the county.