Standing stone, Málainn Mhóir, Co. Donegal
On the northern slopes of the Malin More valley in County Donegal stands a solitary ancient stone, marked as 'Cloghacorra' on 19th-century Ordnance Survey maps.
Standing stone, Málainn Mhóir, Co. Donegal
This impressive monolith rises 2.05 metres high, measuring 0.76 metres north to south and 0.4 metres thick. Originally, historical maps from the second and third editions of the OS 6-inch series showed two stones at this location, but today only one remains, catalogued by archaeologists as DG089-006002.
Just three metres west of the standing stone sits a cairn stretching 15 metres from north-northeast to south-southwest, with a width of 3 metres and varying in height from 0.6 to 0.9 metres. While the cairn’s proximity to the ancient stone might suggest a connection, local knowledge indicates it’s likely a modern addition to the landscape rather than a prehistoric companion to the monolith. The entire site occupies sloping pastureland that has seen better days, positioned 27.5 metres south-southwest of a portal tomb, another reminder of the area’s rich prehistoric heritage.
This description draws from the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled by Brian Lacey and his team in 1983, which documented field antiquities spanning from the Mesolithic Period through to the 17th century. The survey has been periodically revised and updated, most recently in September 2008, ensuring that records of sites like Cloghacorra remain accurate for researchers and visitors interested in Ireland’s ancient monuments.





