Ballynoe Stone Circle

Ballynoe Stone Circle is a large circle of over 50 upright stones, some of which reach to a height of about six feet. It is located in the small village of Ballynoe (Irish an Baile Núa) which is approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) south of Downpatrick, County Down, in the north of Ireland (Irish: Dún Pádraig, Contae an Dúin, Tuaisceart Éireann). It is thought to date from around the Neolithic period starting around 4000 BC to the early Bronze Age about 2500 BC. The stone circle surrounds a mound which when excavated in 1937–38 by Dutch archaeologist, Dr A.E. Van Giffen, was found to cover two cists containing cremated bones. The stones of the circle appear to be astronomically aligned. There are three pairs of stones outside of the circle.

Image: General view of Ballynoe Stone circle photograph by Dutch archaeologist, Dr A.E. Van Giffen who excavated the site 1937-38.