Unexpected Discovery…
Wow! A hitherto unrecorded stone circle, a boulder burial, a gigantic standing stone and a dolmen… all found on a Saturday morning walk.
Ballydehob’s Dolmen
Our expedition began after a great breakfast in Budds – Ballydehob’s newest eating venue: try it out – it has an attractive cheerful atmosphere and the food is excellent. After this sustenance we set out to explore – for us – uncharted territory. Did we travel miles out into the wild hills of West Cork to find these remarkable pieces of archaeology? No, we walked a few metres down the road…
Time for the weekend paper – Robert takes to the Druid’s Chair
Right behind the main village street in Ballydehob is a spectacular example of twentieth century Irish history: a golf driving range with a prehistoric theme!
Aerial view of the site
Ballydehob’s Golf enterprise came with the Celtic Tiger – and went when the Tiger collapsed. It’s now a site looking for a buyer – you could have it!
But we do hope that if someone does buy the site, then they keep all the features: the winding paths by the river, the parkland which feels so rural and secluded, yet is within a stone’s throw of the main N71 highway – and all the New Archaeology...
Riverside Walk…
Boulder Burial…
Circle within an ‘ancient grove’…
Megalith, enjoying a trick of the sun…
The unfortunate demise of the West Cork Golf Academy has left Ballydehob with an unofficial ‘town park’ – a very pleasant place to walk on a balmy spring morning. If only there was a way that this could become a permanent amenity for the community. But the land has a value and – presumably – potential for some worthwhile development. Who knows what the future holds? Meanwhile, we enjoyed our chance discovery of New Archaeology right on our doorstep!
PS – since publishing this post earlier today, I realise from comments received that some readers have been puzzled by it: rest assured that all this ‘new’ archaeology dates from the twentieth century – and was constructed as part of the golf project! They made such a good job of it that it could just prove very confusing for archaeologists of the future…
A Place Apart certainly – the Fuschia Brand labelling dating from vanished times
Finola enjoys the spirit of ‘A Place Apart’
Roaringwater Journal 
Robert, looks like you like color too…pink socks…charming.
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The stone circle was unrecorded? Goodness knows what there is still to be found underneath our feet. I’m afraid I get angry at the bars to countryside access in Ireland, and in particular the golf clubs that sprang up to make a few quid for the speculators in the ‘good times’. The Old Head of Kinsale is a prime example.
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Hello Roy. Sorry, I hope I haven’t misled you (or anyone else) – the stone circle etc were all built as part of the golf driving range back in the 20th century! But they made a very good job of it. Guaranteed to confuse archaeologists of the future, perhaps…
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Ah…:-)
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Budds is looking amazingly colourful and that walk might be something to try next thursday
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Robert, I promised myself ONLY one full Irish breakfast when I’m with you both and looks like Budds the place – bring on the fried bread!
Shauna
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Must try Budds!
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Reblogged this on West Cork History.
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