Turoe Stone

The Turoe Stone (Irish: An Tuar Rua) is a stone made of granite in County Galway, Ireland. It is one of the few examples of the La Tène style in Ireland.

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The Turoe Stone (Irish: An Tuar Rua) is a stone made of granite in County Galway, Ireland. It is one of the few examples of the La Tène style in Ireland along with the Castlestrange stone in County Roscommon, the Killicluggin stone in County Cavan and the Mullamast stone in County Kildare. There is also the Derrykeighan Stone in County Antrim in Northern Ireland.

The stone probably dates from the last century BCE and originally stood next to the Rath of Feerwore a few kilometres away. It is less than three feet high. The base has no decorations, the middle part is provided with a stair-like meander, and the upper part shows the floral tendril pattern typical of the La Tène style, as also shown by the Castlestrange stone.

In addition to the clearly phallic Gatepost from Maghera in County Down, Northern Ireland, the Turoe Stone is also considered a rare specimen with phallic symbolism. Undecorated phallic pillars are more common in Ireland, and are sometimes Christianized.

Turoe Stone, Turoe, Co. Galway, Ireland
53.252808, -8.5617839

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