Castlenalacht Stone Row

Castlenalacht Stone Row is an alignment of four tall free-standing stones on a hilltop in the townland of Castlenalacht, 6 km north of Bandon, County Cork, Ireland. Dating from the Bronze Age (c. 3,000-4,000 years ago), it is the largest of over 80 stone rows in south-west Ireland, with the tallest stone reaching 3.4 metres high. The stones are arranged in ascending height order across 13.4 metres on a north-east/south-west axis, with the largest stone at the south-east end. Like other Irish stone rows, the builders favoured hilltop locations where the axis points toward a distant horizon more than 5 km away. The precise function is unknown, though most archaeologists assume a ceremonial or ritualistic purpose.