heagney
The Giant's Ring
"Eight kilometres southwest of Belfast, the river [Lagan] passes the townland of Ballynahatty, a sandy plateau 100 ha in extent.
This was the site in the 4th millenium BC of a small passage tomb, orientated to the northwest (Collins 1954: 48; Lawlor 1918: 16-19). Though now denuded of its covering mound, it provided the subsequent focus for a series of atypical passage tombs utilizing ever smaller settings of stone (Hartwell 1998: 33-6). Shortly after 3000 BC this was followed by a complex of large and elaborate east-facing timber structures (Ballynahatty 5 and 6). These in turn were eventually replaced by the earth and stone hengiform enclosure of the Giant's Ring, built around the original passage tomb.
At over 200 m in diameter and 4 m in height this is one of the largest and best-preserved henges in Ireland and dominates the southeast corner of the plateau (Hartwell 1998: 36-9). A low, broad ridge (c. 5 m high) runs east-west less than 100 m to the north of the Ring. At its western end is a large boulder, the only other visible archaeological feature. A number of sites were removed from the townland in the 18th and 19th centuries including standing stones, elaborate cists and two unmarked cemeteries which produced `many cartloads of human bones' (MacAdam & Getty 1855: 364). ..."
Excerpt from article by Barrie Hartwell, which can be read in full at findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3284/is_292_76/ai_n28928...
The Giant's Ring
"Eight kilometres southwest of Belfast, the river [Lagan] passes the townland of Ballynahatty, a sandy plateau 100 ha in extent.
This was the site in the 4th millenium BC of a small passage tomb, orientated to the northwest (Collins 1954: 48; Lawlor 1918: 16-19). Though now denuded of its covering mound, it provided the subsequent focus for a series of atypical passage tombs utilizing ever smaller settings of stone (Hartwell 1998: 33-6). Shortly after 3000 BC this was followed by a complex of large and elaborate east-facing timber structures (Ballynahatty 5 and 6). These in turn were eventually replaced by the earth and stone hengiform enclosure of the Giant's Ring, built around the original passage tomb.
At over 200 m in diameter and 4 m in height this is one of the largest and best-preserved henges in Ireland and dominates the southeast corner of the plateau (Hartwell 1998: 36-9). A low, broad ridge (c. 5 m high) runs east-west less than 100 m to the north of the Ring. At its western end is a large boulder, the only other visible archaeological feature. A number of sites were removed from the townland in the 18th and 19th centuries including standing stones, elaborate cists and two unmarked cemeteries which produced `many cartloads of human bones' (MacAdam & Getty 1855: 364). ..."
Excerpt from article by Barrie Hartwell, which can be read in full at findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3284/is_292_76/ai_n28928...