Kealkill Stone Circle is situated on the north west facing slope of the Maughanaclea Hills overlooking the Sheep’s Head Peninsula and Bantry Bay in County Cork. The circle comprises of five stones, as is typical of circles in the south west of Ireland, but what makes this site unique is the addition of at least two other monuments in close proximity to the circle. Standing 5 metres to the North East of the circle are a stone pair, one of which measures over 4 metres in height. To the rear of the stone pair lies the remains of a radial cairn with 18 small upright projecting stones dotted around its circumference, almost looking like the hour stamps of a clock. Excavations in 1938 showed up two shallow trenches intersecting at right angles at the circle, which were interpreted as trenches for wooden sleeper which may have held an upright that would have formed a support for a roof over the monument, but this cannot be said with any certainty. Some researchers have claimed that the 18 stones of the cairn may indicate the 18 years of the metonic lunar cycle of the moon. There was no evidence of ritual pits or burials found during excavation. Though the importance of this unusual megalithic complex is now long forgotten a visit to it certainly leaves an impression of a site of considerable spiritual meaning.

GPS: 51.74521, -9.37068