Fabulous new 3D images by Kerem Gogus show Ireland's Stonehenge as it might once have been

A new depiction of Ireland's Stonehenge at sunset around midwinter, by 3D artist Kerem Gogus.

I am delighted to unveil new 3D-generated images showing Ireland's Stonehenge as it might have looked, created by 3D artist Kerem Gogus. These new images are based upon the only known depiction of a lost monument - a magnificent structure that probably dated to the Stone Age and could be considered Ireland's equivalent of Stonehenge - sadly now destroyed. The only drawing of this great embanked structure of concentric stone circles was made by the antiquarian and astronomer Thomas Wright, in the 1740s. Since then, the monument was destroyed, such that it was thought to have been lost completely until its "footprint" was found on an aerial photo of the Carnbeg area outside Dundalk, Co. Louth, in 1988.

The monument at Carnbeg brought to

life by in this new image by Kerem Gogus.

With only Wright's drawing to go on, Kerem made a couple of images about a decade ago showing what the stone monument might have looked like. But this week, following my revelation that some of the largest stones of the monument might actually be buried beneath the soil where they once stood, the Dundalk Democrat newspaper wanted to do an article about this discovery. Their reporter Ian Cameron contacted Kerem and he agreed to make new images, which give us the first conceptual overview in high resolution of how this monument might have looked if we could transport ourselves back in time. The images give us a unique glimpse at a unique monument. As a result of Kerem's fantastic work, we are able to visualise this once dramatic man-made construction.

The monument consisted of two concentric stone circles surrounded by an embankment with a ring of huge stones outside.

Here is an extract from the article in this week's Dundalk Democrat newspaper about the monument:

Thomas Wright's 18th century drawing
of the monument.

While doing research over the years, he [Anthony] read that some of the smaller stones were taken away and used as gate posts. He believes it should be possible to locate even some of these in the area. Old stone gate posts are easy to spot and quite rare these days. Other smaller stones were sadly broken up to be used as material for roads. The Armagh road (now known as the R177) effectively cut through the site.

“The road was not there in the 1740s when Wright made his drawing. As far as I can ascertain, this road was built in the 1750s (maybe some of your readers might have more information about the exact date of construction?) and would undoubtedly have led to the part destruction of the monument.

Dundalk Democrat's article.  

“For years, I've believed that all of the stones were either removed or broken up. But I've discovered a source (Bassett's Louth Directory from 1886) that says some of the larger monoliths (all but one) were buried: ’Most of the rest were dropped into holes sunk behind them, and covered at a sufficient depth to escape the plough’. For me, that's very exciting news. It means there's a possibility that the largest stones - at least some of them - are still there. It might be possible, using archaeology, to ascertain how many are still there, and there's even the tantalising possibility of discerning potential solar and lunar alignments of the site, which was described in the early 20th century by historian Henry Morris as having been an ancient 'school of astronomy'."

Anthony also believes the site could present a viable and successful tourist attraction for Dundalk once it has been fully investigated and potentially restored.

Another of Kerem Gogus's wonderful new 3D images showing what Ireland's Stonehenge probably looked like.

The huge monoliths of Ireland's Stonehenge were buried

Monument was thought to have been completely destroyed some time between 1748 and 1907

However, some of its largest stones might have been buried

For years I have been drawing attention to a monument, sadly destroyed, which has been dubbed 'Ireland's Stonehenge'. This was a remarkable and unique monument consisting of several concentric circles of stone, surrounded by a large earthen embankment, all of which was encompassed by ten enormous monoliths.

Ireland's Stonehenge was documented by antiquarian and astronomer Thomas Wright in 1748. His drawing is the only known representation of this once great monument, which was located in a townland known today as Carn Beg, not far from the town of Dundalk, in the north of County Louth. I first wrote about Ireland's Stonehenge in 'Island of the Setting Sun' in 2006.

A 3D recreation of the stonehenge (right) by Kerem Gogus.

This huge monument vanished from existence some time between Wright's drawing and brief description of it in 'Louthiana' (1748) and the construction of the Drogheda to Portadown section of the Dublin-Belfast railway line in 1855. Historian Henry Morris, writing for the County Louth Archaeological Journal (CLAJ) in 1907, gave us a tantalising insight into what the monument's purpose might have been when he wrote: "I have read or heard it stated somewhere that this place was the site of a school of astronomy. Its position on the plain, with a semicircle of mountains around would enable an ancient astronomer to observe and mark the places where the various heavenly bodies appeared on the horizon at different times of the year." Regrettably, Morris was unable to recall the source of this valuable detail.

Wright's all-too-brief description of this remarkable monument, from Louthiana.

Not long after Wright's drawing was published, the Armagh Road was built, probably in the 1750s, and there can be no doubt that this was a significant factor in the destruction of the stone henge. I overlaid Wright's drawing of the monument on to Google Earth imagery of the site and this makes it obvious that at least some of the monument was flattened for the purpose of the new road.

A crop mark of the monument on
a CUCAP photo from 1970.

I remember reading somewhere (although I cannot now recall the source) that the smaller stones were taken away and either broken up to be used as foundation material for roads, or were used as gate posts. Henry Morris could find no remains of the monument in 1907, saying that it was "Gone! Cleared away, its very site not exactly known". (For much more information, and sources, see Island of the Setting Sun - In Search of Ireland's Ancient Astronomers, chapter 5, 'The Giant Rings'.)

It wasn't until 1988 that the exact location of Wright's druidic temple was finally rediscovered. Archaeologist Victor Buckley was able to discern the monument's "footprint" in an aerial photograph which had been taken in 1970 for the Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs.

There was some archaeological resistivity was carried out at the site in 2006, in advance of a proposed housing development which never happened once the Irish economy collapsed. Standing at the site, which is now part of a disused golf course attached to a hotel, it is very difficult to get any sense that it was anything other than a field. There are simply no stones remaining. None.

However, I've recently discovered something significant about what might have happened to the large stones - or at least some of them - in the most unlikely of sources.

Reading George Henry Bassett's 'Louth County Guide and Directory (1886), we find that early on, he makes reference to the area's antiquities:

The remains of antiquity are very numerous, and extend through every part of the county. They continue in very much the same condition that they were found more than one hundred and twenty-five years ago by Thomas Wright, author of Louthiana. His work was instrumental in stimulating the curiosity of many of the residents of the county in regard to the precise nature of the contents of the Danish and Irish forts and Druidical camps.

In this work in progress, digital artist Kerem Gogus has fantastically recreated
Ireland's Stonehenge in 3D based on Thomas Wright's 1748 drawing.

And here comes the most valuable information pertaining to what happened this once marvellous monument:

It had not the effect, however, of preventing a tenant, near Dundalk. from effacing the Druidical circle at Ballynahatna. Of the ten stones which were said to represent the generations from Adam to Noah, only one now stands in the original position. Most of the rest were dropped into holes sunk behind them, and covered at a sufficient depth to escape the plough.

This is most interesting. Bassett says that instead of bring broken up, like the smaller stones, the large ones were dropped into huge holes to bury them. This is quite exciting as it leads to the possibility that at least some of these large megaliths are still there - buried where they once stood. Perhaps this is information which might lead archaeologists towards further investigation of the site at Carnbeg?

Further reading: Ireland's Stonehenge

Note: I am indebted to Kerem Gogus, the 3D artist, for all the effort he put in to recreating Ireland's Stonehenge so that we might get a better sense of what it looked like. Visit his website here:

http://keremgogus.com/