These
wonderful pictures of Rock Art at Drumirril, near the border of
County Monaghan and County Louth were taken by AnneMarie Moroney,
who has documented the Winter
Solstice phenomenon at Dowth.
The
most common rock art designs are cup and ring marks. The art is
found in most cases on natural rock outcrops, but some examples
have been found on standing stones and megalithic passage mounds.
There is a concentration of rock art in Cork and Kerry, but rock
art is found all around Ireland. In Louth, all the rock art is
confined to the north west of the county, forming a group with
clusters of rock art in southeast Monaghan.
Rock
art is believed to date from the late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age,
and the purpose of the art has been speculated on by many. Some
believe they are astronomical markings, while others believe they
resemble ground plans of ring forts and enclosures.
See
this page about Rock
Art glossary.