Rock scribing - folk art

The National Monuments Service's description

In overgrowth near a field boundary which forms one side of a farm track. Indicated and labelled ‘Carving on Rock’ on the Cassini edition (1920) of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Potential site - map’ in the RMP (1996). This rock scribing is on a partly exposed, almost flat, sandstone slab (exposed L 2.2m E-W; 1.4-1.8m N-S) which appears to have an elongated suboval shape. The slab slopes slightly to the N, and has a smooth, even surface. Moss and grass cover all of the edges, and there are encroaching brambles along its W side. The main scribing (42cm NNE-SSW; 18cm WNW-ESE) was recorded by Westropp (1902-1904, 119) as comprising ‘a curiously combined ornament, formed of spirals, loops, and curved ends’. Near it are at least two carved circles and two crosses (max. dims. 4-7cm), as well as clusters of incised lines (mostly oriented N-S) and small subcircular and geometrical shapes—both incised and in shallow relief, but very faint. During an inspection in 1999, the landowner reported that a rubbing of the stone was taken by a visitor to the site, but she did not know what became of this. She also believed that there are more circles and crosses on the slab, but these were not detected at that time. There are two main local folkloric interpretations of this rock scribing: that it covered a burial of twins, and that it was used as a mass rock. There is another rock scribing (CL019-009----) c. 188m to the S and a wedge tomb (CL019-006----) stands  c. 150m to the SW.

 

Compiled by; Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott

 

Date of upload: 2-10-2025

References

Westropp, T.J. 1902-4 The cists, dolmens, and pillars in the eastern half of the county of Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 24C, 107-131.