The antiquarian Kinahan documented these ancient monuments during his survey work in 1885-6, noting their presence amongst the rough pasture land that characterises this part of rural Donegal. Unfortunately, when archaeologists returned to survey the area for the Archaeological Survey of County Donegal in the early 1980s, no trace of these stones could be found.

The disappearance of standing stones is not uncommon in Ireland’s archaeological record. These prehistoric monuments, which can date from the Neolithic period through to the Bronze Age, have often fallen victim to agricultural improvements, road building, or simply the passage of time. Some may have been broken up for building materials or removed to clear fields for more intensive farming. In other cases, stones that were once prominent landmarks have toppled and become buried beneath centuries of soil accumulation.

The loss of these Sockar stones represents a small but significant gap in our understanding of prehistoric Donegal. Standing stones served various purposes for ancient communities; they might have marked territorial boundaries, acted as memorial stones, or held astronomical significance. Without the physical evidence, we can only speculate about their original purpose and the people who erected them on this windswept pasture land thousands of years ago.