Students ‘amazed' by Drombeg circle

TWO students from a school in Cork city have completed a project that aims to make the history of Drombeg Stone Circle – near Glandore – accessible to their peers.

Fifth class students at Scoil Bhride, Eglantine on the Douglas Road in Cork, Aoife O’Regan and Nadia Martins, produced the project in time for the Winter solstice on December 21st.

They explain how the word Drombeg comes from the Irish language meaning ‘small ridge’ and their presentation explains all aspects of the stone circle, which was built 3,000 years ago in West Cork.

The students write with obvious delight about the 17 stones contained in this stone circle and how during the winter solstice the sun’s rays fall on the flat altar stone, which faces the two portal stones at the entrance.

They explain that the term solstice means ‘sun standing’ and they marvel at the fact that the people who built this stone circle didn’t need a clock to measure the short days of winter and the longer days of summer.

They say their wise men and women knew when solstice would take place and that the stone circle was ‘like a calendar’, as well as a place of worship.

During their exploration of the site they also devoted time to understanding the Fulacht Fiadh, a spring that supplies a well and trough on site that these people had used for cooking.

The students explained how they would heat stones and roll them into the water to cook their food.

The schoolgirls professed themselves ‘amazed’ at what these people had achieved and stressed the importance of keeping Drombeg ‘safe for the future.’