While good agricultural land falls away to the north and west from where it was positioned, the stone itself left no trace on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, suggesting it may have already disappeared or been overlooked by early surveyors. Its absence from these detailed Victorian maps adds an intriguing layer to the archaeological puzzle of this area.

The site was documented as part of the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled in 1983 by Brian Lacey and his team of researchers. This ambitious project catalogued field antiquities spanning from the Mesolithic Period through to the 17th century, capturing both prominent monuments and more ephemeral traces of human activity across the county. The survey represents one of the most thorough archaeological inventories undertaken in Ireland, though many of its entries, including this one, have required revision as new information has come to light.

Standing stones like the one at Murlough are amongst Ireland’s most enigmatic prehistoric monuments. Whether serving as territorial markers, ceremonial sites, or astronomical alignments, these solitary sentinels once dotted the Irish countryside in their thousands. The loss of this particular stone; whether through agricultural improvement, stone robbing for building materials, or simple neglect; represents a small but significant erosion of Donegal’s archaeological heritage, leaving only the written record to mark its former presence on this hillside.