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| This megalithic monument
dates from 2000BC and is situated two miles south of
Raphoe on a
prominent hill top. The Irish name
Beltany is from 'Baal Tine' - 'Baal's fire' and suggest that the pagan practise of sun worship was celebrated on this site. The stone circle is 44.2m in diameter and contains 64 stones which have an average height of 1.8m, though there were probably many more stones originally. The circle also contains a tumulus which may have been a burial cairn. There is also a 1.9m (6ft 3in) high stone standing outside the circle to the South East of the site. Téann an carn cuimhneacháin meigilíotach seo siar go dtí 2000RC (roimh Chríost) agus tá sé suite ar chnoc stairriceach dhá míle ó dheas ó Ráth Bhoth. Tagann an t-ainm Gaeilge Bealtaine (Beltany) ó 'Baal Tine' - 'Baal's Fire,' agus ceaptar gur úsaid na págánaigh an lathair seo chun adhradh a thabairt don ghrian. Tá an cloch ciorcal 44.2m í lárlíne agus cuimsíonn sé 64 cloch atá 1.8m ar meán airde, ach is dócha go raibh níos mó bun-chlocha príomha ann ó thús. Cuimsíonn an ciorcal créthulach agus is dócha gur úsaideadh é mar charn adhlachaidh. Tá cloch ard, 1.9m (6ft 3in), ina seasamh taobh amuigh den chiorcal ar an taobh thoir theas den láthair.© |
 Beltany Stone Circle © Tom Kumpf |