This standing stone, triangular at its base and measuring nearly a metre in height, occupied a south-facing hillside with commanding views across the Lagan Valley. Archaeological surveys from the early 1980s documented its presence, noting its distinctive shape and strategic placement on the landscape; a location that would have been carefully chosen by those who erected it thousands of years ago.

The stone’s removal sometime after 1983 represents a small but significant loss to Donegal’s archaeological heritage. Where it once marked the hillside, there’s now no trace visible at ground level, as confirmed by a 2020 survey conducted by Ryan Hanley. The reasons for its removal remain unclear, though such losses were unfortunately common during periods of agricultural intensification and land development across rural Ireland.

Standing stones like this one served multiple purposes for Ireland’s prehistoric communities; they functioned as territorial markers, commemorative monuments, or perhaps held ritual significance we can only speculate about today. The Raphoe example, with its triangular form and elevated position overlooking the valley, would have been a prominent feature in the ancient landscape, visible to travellers and local communities alike. Its disappearance serves as a reminder of how fragile these connections to our deep past can be, and why documenting and protecting remaining monuments remains so important.