The Circles of Lough Gur

Lough Gur in Co Limerick is recognised as one of the great religious sites of ancient Ireland.

Its megalithic tomb is not as impressive as Newgrange but its legendary lake, ancient circles, standing stones and ring forts more than make up for that.  It is a home of Aine, ancient Celtic goddess of summer, light and love, and Crom Dubh, the ancient figure associated with darkness and harvest festivals.

For 6,000 years the landscape was occupied by people who accepted they did not have complete ownership. More than 1,000 archaeological sites including a Neolithic settlement, a Bronze Age Stone Circle and wedge tombs from 2500BC reveal their efforts to fit into a wider world.

Each feature is worth a visit but the one that caught my imagination, perhaps because I had not seen anything like it in Ireland before, was Grange Stone Circle.   

This 4,000-year-old circular enclosure is composed of 113 continuous standing stones, up to 2.8m high, with a diameter of 45m. They are backed by an outside earthen bank from which onlooker could participate in what was happening within. The only entrance was aligned with the sunset on the festival of Samhain in early November.

Standing there today connects you with the thousands who gathered over the centuries to celebrate the change of seasons, the weakening and revival of the sun.  

The focus in such circles shifted.  One flat stone, Rannach Chruim Duibh (the Sharing of Crom Dubh) stands out at Grange. It weighs 40 tonnes. It marked Dark Crom’s rule there.

Today the sense of wonder still lingers and people leave ‘offerings’ on trees. 

Early Christians made no effort to colonise Lough Gur. There is a Holy Well a mile and a half away named for St Patrick but it is likely he was never in the area.     

Lough Gur remains unique. It is in a remote valley with no royal association. Its quiet is not disturbed by housing or main roads.

There is too much to see and experience in one day. A Visitors Centre built like a Neolithic house provides useful maps of the different locations and the signage is helpful.  However to really appreciate the area I recommend ‘In Search of the Awesome Mystery’ by the late Sean O Duinn.

I am amazed how few know about Lough Gur. Go and see for yourself.