BELTANY STONE CIRCLE, RAPHOE, CO, DONEGAL, LONESTAR EXPLORER TV.
THIS LOCATION IS LOCATED ON TOP OF A HILL OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE OF RAPHOE, CO, DONEGAL.
Donegal Ireland BELTANY STONE CIRCLE,RAPHOE
Beltany Stone Circle, Donegal, Ireland - May Magic
We invite you to join us on our Bealtaine Festival walk around the
megalithic stone circle at Raphoe in Donegal.
Enjoy
Wyllie O Hagan
Music is by Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No 4
with permission of Kevin MacLeod
The following information on Beltany Stone Circle is © Donegal Tourism.
Beltany Stone Circle
The name of this solitary hill 2 miles south of Raphoe recalls the Celtic springtime festival of Beltane (the ancient equivalent of May Day), traditionally associated with the lighting of hill-top fires to regenerate the sun. The wreckage of great stones on this well chosen site belongs to an earlier period than the Celtic Iron Age. As it stands, it poses problems of classification. Part stone circle, part mound, it has suffered at the hands of despoilers and must look very different from its original state. The enclosing ring is megalithic, several of its slabby stones attaining heights of 8 feet or more. Many lean haphazardly outward under the pressure of the disturbed, boulder-strewn interior, the surface of which is 3-4 feet higher than the surrounding land. A solitary outlier stands 70 feet to the south-east. Possible astronomical alignments have been suggested for some of the circle-stones; one, perhaps fortuitously, points to sunrise at or about Beltane.
Beltany Stone Circle Raphoe Co Donegal
Beltany is a Bronze Age stone circle just south of Raphoe town in County Donegal, Ireland. It dates from circa 2100-700 BC
Today Beltany has 64 stones of varying height and width enclosing an earthen platform. The centre is greatly disturbed and most likely was the result of digging by locals in 1700s for available loose stones to build farmsteads and field boundaries. This evidence was given orally to the Ordnance Survey field officers in 1830s which is written into the OS records. It states that locals recalled the removal of vast heaps of stone and sepulchral type graves with bones. The boulder wall close to the circle may support this evidence and the mention in OS early maps of ‘Tops Village’ at the foot of the hill. The enigmatic Stone Circle is situated on the summit of Tops Hill, the anglicized gaelic word meaning ‘the lighting of a ceremonial torch’. Several stones are cupmarked. One in particular, the triangle stone on NE is decorated with circular incisions or cup marks visible to naked eye. Other stones have what appears to be replicated star constellations. The heavy stones on NW lean outwards possibly from pressure of the earlier debris and boulders removed in 1700s or due to depletion of earthen bank.
This was a ritual site associated with marking the agricultural Celtic year – the summer and winter Solstices and Equinox. The Celtic Ritual Year was in 4 parts – Beltaine (May), Samhain (November) the main parts and Imbolg (February) and Lughnasa (August). Beltany may be linked to marking both sunrise and sunset at these important ritual and ceremonial events in the year. It may also have a lunar orientation, yet to be calculated.
Beltany Stone Circle, Raphoe, Co.Donegal - 08.05.18
One of the largest stone circles in Ireland dating from the Bronze Age
beltany stone circle solstice2012
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The Beltany Megalithic Stone Circle - Ireland
Beltany is a megalithic site located in County Donegal, in the Irish province of Ulster. The site is known for its stone circle, which is commonly believed to have been erected during the late Bronze Age. Some have suggested that the stone circle served a ritualistic and ceremonial function, whilst others have put forward the theory that it was used for astronomical observations. Some have even speculated that the stones were originally part of a burial cairn, or even a Neolithic passage tomb, and that the stone circle is all that remains of this funerary structure.
Ancient-Origins.net
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Beltany Stone Circle
Beltany Stone Circle
Beltany is a Bronze Age stone circle just south of Raphoe town in County Donegal, Ireland. It dates from circa 2100-700 BC. There is evidence that it may also have been the sacred site of Neolithic monuments possibly early passage tombs. It overlooks the now destroyed passage tomb complex at Kilmonaster and Beltany is dominated by Croghan Hill to the east on the summit of which there sits a Neolithic mound most likely a passage tomb (though never excavated).
Today Beltany has 64 stones of varying height and width enclosing an earthen platform. The centre is greatly disturbed and most likely was the result of digging by locals in 1700s for available loose stones to build farmsteads and field boundaries. This evidence was given orally to the Ordnance Survey field officers in 1830s which is written into the OS records. It states that locals recalled the removal of vast heaps of stone and sepulchral type graves with bones. The boulder wall close to the circle may support this evidence and the mention in OS early maps of ‘Tops Village’ at the foot of the hill. The enigmatic Stone Circle is situated on the summit of Tops Hill, the anglicized gaelic word meaning ‘the lighting of a ceremonial torch’. Several stones are cupmarked. One in particular, the triangle stone on NE is decorated with circular incisions or cup marks visible to naked eye. Other stones have what appears to be replicated star constellations. The heavy stones on NW lean outwards possibly from pressure of the earlier debris and boulders removed in 1700s or due to depletion of earthen bank.
This was a ritual site associated with marking the agricultural Celtic year – the summer and winter Solstices and Equinox. The Celtic Ritual Year was in 4 parts – Beltaine (May), Samhain (November) the main parts and Imbolg (February) and Lughnasa (August). Beltany may be linked to marking both sunrise and sunset at these important ritual and ceremonial events in the year. It may also have a lunar orientation, yet to be calculated.
A single ‘outlier’ stone about 2 metres high stands to the southeast of the circle. It probably had some function related to the rituals or ceremonies in the circle. Or it may be one of the several line standing stones found in fields around the slopes of Tops hill and valley.
A carved stone head (flat to back) is believed to have come from lands around Beltany and thought to have functioned as either a mask or a mould from which ceremonial masks were fashioned in bronze or even gold. It is in the vaults at the National Museum in Dublin. These megaliths indicate that this landscape was marked out and used as a sacred and ritual site for several millennia. [1]
It has been suggested[by whom?] that the name of the site is linked to the Celtic festival of fertility known as 'Beltane', the anglicised name for the Gaelic May Day festival, commonly held on 1 May and historically, widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In Irish the name for the festival day is Lá Bealtaine ([l̪ˠaː ˈbʲal̪ˠt̪ˠənʲə]), in Scottish Gaelic Là Bealltainn ([l̪ˠa: ˈpjaul̪ˠt̪ˠɪɲ]) and in Manx Gaelic Laa Boaltinn/Boaldyn.
Raphoe Stone Circle
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Beltany stone circle
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Beltany Stones at Raphoe
This large stone ring sits atop a hill just outside of Raphoe, Ireland in Donnegal county. 64 of the original 80 stones are still standing with the largest one over 3 meters. The circle is about 165 feet in diameter and is known as Beltany. It was built sometime between 1400 to 800 BCE. It is stunning.. Some say the name is derived from the Irish word for the month of May (Bealtaine), others associate it with paying homage to the sun god Baal for the summer season.
Johnsmith sings 'Silence the Thunder' in Ireland at Beltany Stone Circle
Johnsmith sings 'Silence the Thunder' at the ancient stone circle of Beltany ~ where the Celtic peoples worshipped and buried their loved ones
Ireland beltany stone circle
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Beltany Stone Circle Feb 25th
On a hilltop somewhere south of Raphoe sits Beltany Stone Circle.A Bronze Age stone circle that dates from circa 2100-700 BC (ish..give or take a couple of centuries.)
Beltany Stone Circle Donegal
Beltany Stone Circle
Ancient Stone Circle of Beltony, Co. Donegal, Ireland
Charlie Gallagher gives us a brief overview of the ancient stone circle 'Beltony' named after the fire festival of Beltane, which can be found in the hills of Raphoe, Co. Donegal, Ireland.
*DISCLAIMER*
It is illegal to undertake any private excavations of national monuments or heritage sites, which are protected under the National Monuments Services (NMS) and the Office of Public Works (OPW.) Please do not remove stones or other items found within these sites, and do not attempt to move stones or other items within the sites, as this too is illegal (even if it seems like you're helping!) Contact your local OPW for further information.
Tour Guide: Charlie Gallagher
Filmed, Edited and Photography by: Claire Warren
Email: ceegeeceeproductions@gmail.com
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