Beltany Stone Circle

Composed of 64 standing stones, though originally it is thought there were over 80, Beltany Stone Circle sits on the summit of Beltany Hill at a height of over 300 feet, with spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. It is said that it overlooks Magh Itha, once the ancient site of the first battle of Ireland, according to Celtic Mythology.

At 45m in diameter, Beltany is one of Ireland’s largest stone circles. However, Beltany may actually have once been a megalithic passage tomb. In 1846, Thomas Fagan visited the monument and found the circle interior to be heavily disfigured. Locals claimed that the raised earth actually covered graves, where decayed bones were previously found.

It was in the surrounding area of Beltany that the Beltany Stone Head was discovered, which is estimated to date back to the Iron Age.

The name Beltany is likely derived from the May Festival Beltaine, the feast held on the first of May to mark the arrival of summer.

There are various iterations as to the significance of Beltaine, but all note the connection to fire, and the symbolism of lighting a fire in praise of a Celtic sun-god, or for the protection of cattle for the coming year, or to stave off the evil spells of witches and faeries.

Beltaine translates to ‘Bright Fire’, and when the sun hits the Stone Circle at Beltany, it’s not hard to understand where it received its name.

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This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014