Timoney Stones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Timoney Stones |
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| Native name Irish: Galláin Thuaim Eabhna |
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| Type | Standing stones |
| Location | Cullaun/Timenyhills/Timoney, Roscrea, County Tipperary, Ireland |
| Area | Stretching over 40 ha (100 ac) |
| Elevation | 160 m (520 ft) |
| Height | 0.3–2 m (1–6 feet) |
| Built | unknown |
| Owner | Office of Public Works |
| Official name: Timoney Hills Standing Stones | |
| Reference no. | 353 |
The Timoney Stones are a special group of standing stones in County Tipperary, Ireland. They are so important that they are called a National Monument. This means they are protected by the country.
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What Are the Timoney Stones?
Standing stones are tall stones that people placed upright a very long time ago. The Timoney Stones are a collection of these ancient stones. They cover a large area, about 40 hectares (which is like 100 football fields!).
Where Can You Find Them?
You can find the Timoney Stones in the hills of County Tipperary. They are about 8 kilometers (5 miles) southeast of a town called Roscrea. They are located on what used to be the Timoney Park estate. This area is also close to the border with County Laois.
A Mystery from the Past
Long ago, people put up about 300 stones here. They also built five cairns (piles of stones) and a stone circle. No one is completely sure when these stones were first put in place. Some experts think they are from the Neolithic period, which was a very, very old time. Others believe they might be much more recent, perhaps from the 1800s. It's a real mystery!
What Do They Look Like?
Today, 121 of the original stones are still there. Most of them, 93 stones, are still standing upright. The other 28 have fallen over. These stones are spread out across the land. They don't seem to follow a clear pattern.
However, some stones are found in special groups:
- Some are in groups of three: one tall stone, one short stone, and a flat stone (a slab).
- Others are in pairs, lined up either north-south or east-west.
- Sixteen of the stones form a large stone circle. This circle is about 70 meters (77 yards) wide.
Sadly, all the cairns (piles of stones) that were once here have been removed over time.
