Don’t dare to dance here on a Sunday

The Athgreany Stone Circle, also known as ‘The Piper’s Stones’ is a Bronze Age stone circle consisting of 16 stones. An ordinance survey map of Ireland in 1941 showed that there were 29 stones in the circle of which only 5 are in their original place after someone unsuccessfully tied to remove the circle! The circle is 23m in diameter and the stones range from 1 to 2m in height. Some of the stones show signs of degraded carved megalithic art, consisting of grooves and cup marks. The name, The Piper’s Stones, is believed to have derived from a local folk tale that said those caught dancing there on a Sunday would turn to stone, with the stones representing such revelers. The outlying stone on the northeast represents the piper and the old hawthorn tree growing around the stone’s circumference is associated with fairies and other folklore.

Thanks to Wicklow Tourism for excellent informative video on The Piper’s Stone Circle