
Haroldstown Portal Tomb, Co Carlow, Ireland





Underexposed – an Irish Photoblog

Haroldstown Portal Tomb, Co Carlow, Ireland




Rossinver Old Church and Graveyard




Rossinver Graveyard – cup marked stone

Rossinver Graveyard – eroded cross-slab 2022 infrared

Rossinver Graveyard – eroded cross-slab in 2022 colour

The above photograph by ©Anthony Weir at http://www.irishmegaliths.org.uk/crosspillars2.htm from some years ago (1980’s?) shows how erosion is taking an irreversible effect on some of these carvings… would like to think I photographed the wrong stone but don’t think so
Stroan Fountain, Co Kilkenny, Ireland

A natural spring feeds the fountain built ‘erected by subscription by permission of the Landlord Gervase Bushe. Designed and arranged by Thomas Seigne.’

Athgreany Stone Circle (the Piper’s Stones), Co Wicklow, Ireland

The circle now consists of 14 stones with some of the original missing




Clara Church, Co Kilkenny, Ireland

The ruin of Clara Church is a short distance from Clara Castle
Clara Castle, Co Kilkenny, Ireland




Kernanstown Dolmen aka Browneshill Dolmen, Co Carlow, Ireland









Ullard Church, Co Kilkenny, Ireland

The 12th century church was built on the site of a 7th century monastery


Ullard Church – Romanesque Doorway

Ullard Church – Romanesque Doorway detail


9th century High Cross

At the back of the church a handball alley was build using the church wall

The Rock of Dunamase, Co Laois, Ireland

Through the centuries The Rock of Dunamase was a place of fortification. During the Norman conquest of Ireland the rock was refortified and its these ruins that have survived.

The gate to Dunamase Castle ruins

Threecastles Castle, Co Wicklow, Ireland

The last remaining castle at Threecastles

Threecastles stands next to the Kilbride Rd (L4365) between Kilbride and Blessington

Entrance doorway

Ray High Cross

Ray High cross

Subcircular stone with perforation and two mill stones

Raymunterdoney (Ray) old church, Co Donegal, Ireland

Ray Standing Stone in the North East corner of the graveyard

Bullaun Stone in Ray Graveyard


Ray old church with bullaun stone forefront and standing stone background
Kill old church, graveyard, famine graveyard, and Penal Mass station, Dunfanaghy, Donegal

Clondahorky Old Church, Kill,Dunfanaghy

Stone inscription in the church

Kill graveyard gate

Kill graveyard

Iron Crosses in kill famine grave yard marks graves of drowned … a few stones for the famine victims belies the number of interred… hundreds possibly in the thousands. More info here
https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/40901521/kill-dunfanaghy-county-donegal

Barnes Lower Stone Row (Alignment), Co Donegal, Ireland

The three stone alignment with the third stone barely visible

The two larger stones with surface texture emphasised by oblique sunlight

The largest stone of the alignment again with surface texture emphasised by oblique sunlight

Barnes Lower alignment with Muckish mountain in the background

Barnes Lower stone row with Muckish Mountain

Barnes Lower view from car park with Lake Salt and Muckish Mountain. The stones are approx. 150 mtr from track to right as you enter car park

Killahoey Beach aka Dunfanaghy Beach, Dunfanaghy, Donegal, Ireland

Leamaneh Castle, the Burren, Co Clare, Ireland
Gleninagh Medieval Church, the Burren, Co Clare

The enclosure contains numerous ancient graves marked with simple stones


Creevagh Wedge Tomb, the Burren, Co Clare, Ireland


Creevagh Wedge Tomb, Black & White


Pinnacle Well, the Burren, Co Clare, Ireland

A housing was built over the well around 1860 giving it the appearance of a small church
Parknabinnia wedge tomb, the Burren, Co Clare



Parknabinnia viewed from the road – with some local tourists

Parknabinnia Wedge Tomb in BW


Doonagore Castle, Doolin, Co Clare, Ireland. Mid 16th century Castle restored in the 1970s

Carron/Carran Church on the Burren, Co Clare, Ireland

The ruins of the 13th century Carron Church

Carved head on the north wall of Carron Church ruin

Ballylig Standing Stone, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland

The farmer was very friendly and accompanied me into the field as there were some cows I was a bit wary of

Tober-bile Standing Stone, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland

With Knocklayd Mountain in the background this is one of several standing stones that ring it

Gleniff Horseshoe – waterfall, Co Sligo, ireland

One of two cottage ruins on the loop

The top of Gleniff Horseshoe


Fairy Bridges, Tullan Strand, Bundoran, Co Donegal

It is said that locals thought the natural sea arches were haunted by the fairies


Shesknan tomb? Co Leitrim, Ireland



Shesknan Tomb? Co Leitrim, Ireland



Gortnahoula Court Tomb, Co Sligo, Ireland


Much of the site is buried under the peat with the other stones obscured by tall reeds


The two above images are from 2024

Moneylahan Cashel, Co Sligo, Ireland




All that remains of the walled enclosure



Tawley Mass Rock and Bullaun Stone, Leitrim, Ireland

The Mass rock has an incised cross and ‘IHS’ inscription just visible below


Tawley Bullaun Stone – both stones were found close by

Aghaderrard Court Tomb, County Leitrim, Ireland

The ruins and remnants of Aghaderrard Court Tomb





Halloween or Hallowe’en comes from All Hallows Eve – The night before All Hallows Day (All Saints Day) which was the Christanisation of Samhain an ancient Celtic festival of celebration, feasting and connecting with ancestors at harvest time. Celebrated on October 31st, the half way point between the Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice. Ancient Celtic tradition marked this as a time when the barriers between the spiritual and physical worlds came down which marked it as a time for Fairies (Shee/Sidhe) and other malevolent beings. From here we get many of the pagan practices that continue to today. Irish and Scottish migrants took their traditions with them to America and America, well Americanised it.

Links to past Jack O’ Lanterns 2017 here https://www.tonyoneill.org/2017/10/25/traditional-jack-o-lantern-2017/ and 2016 here https://www.tonyoneill.org/2016/10/27/irish-jack-o-lantern/

Auglish/Aughlish Stone Circles, Derry, Northern Ireland

A series of 5 small stone circles and alignments in the foothills of the Sperrins


One of the alignments

Alignment stone

Showing the alignment

The largest of the circle stones

Same stone as above

Dungiven Standing Stone, Co Derry, Northern Ireland




Donaghmore Round Tower and Church, Co Meath, Ireland

Donaghmore 10th century Round Tower and 15th Century Church ruin

Donaghmore Round Tower stands 26 meters tall

The ruin of Donaghmore Church

Donaghmore Round Tower just off the N51 Navan to Slane Road

An original monastery here dates to St. Patrick who gave his disciple, St. Cassanus (Cassan) stewardship

Coolbeg Wedge Tomb, Drumcliff, Co Sligo, Ireland


aka Ballynagloch Standing Stones

Culfeightrin Standing Stones, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland

The larger standing stone in the graveyard at Culfeightrin Church

The smaller Standing Stone to the East of the larger stone

Behy Cliffs, Co Mayo, Ireland (Opposite the Céide Fields Visitors Centre)

Beaghmore stone circles, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland

The Beagmore Stone Circle Complex comprises of a mixture of small stone circles, cairns, and alignments


Alignment of some of the larger stones at the Beagmore Megalithic Complex

Two of the circles and below from the top circle


O’Dowd’s Castle, Easkey, Co Sligo, Ireland

Dating from 1207

Belmullet Standing Stone, Mullet Peninsula, Co Mayo, Ireland

The standing stone is great… location not quite