{{Short description|Celtic-style granite stone in Ireland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox ancient site | name = Turoe Stone | native_name = Cloch an Tuair Rua | native_name_lang = ga | alternate_name = | image = Stone of Turoe.JPG | image_size = | alt = | caption = | map = | map_type = Ireland County Galway | map_alt = | map_caption = | map_size = | relief =1 | coordinates = {{coord|53.252412|-8.561209|type:landmark_region:IE|display=ti}}
| map_dot_label = | location = Bullaun, <br/>County Galway, Ireland | region = | type = Standing stone | part_of = | length = | width = | area = | volume = | diameter = | circumference = | height = {{Convert|1.68|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | builder = | material = Granite | built = c. 100 BC — AD 100 | abandoned = | epochs = | cultures = Gaelic Ireland | dependency_of = | occupants = | event = | excavations = | archaeologists = | condition = Worn | ownership = Office of Public Works | management = | public_access = yes | other_designation = {{Designation/divbox|Irish National Monument}} | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | notes = }}
thumb|240px|Reference to the Turoe stone at the Castlestrange stone
The '''Turoe stone''' is a 1.2 metre tall granite stone<ref>{{cite web | title = Turoe Stone | date = 2025-10-17 | website = OPW: Heritage Ireland | url = https://heritageireland.ie/unguided-sites/turoe-stone/ }}</ref> decorated in a Celtic style normally located in the village of Bullaun, County Galway, Ireland, 6 km north of Loughrea off the R350 regional road.<ref name="WE">{{cite book | last=Weir |first=A.| year=1980 |title=Early Ireland. A Field Guide | publisher=Blackstaff Press | location=Belfast | page=151}}</ref> It probably dates to about the period 100 BC to AD 100.<ref>Harding, D.W., [https://books.google.com/books?id=dDV-AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA181 ''The Archaeology of Celtic Art''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704071542/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=dDV-AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA181 |date=4 July 2017 }}, p. 181</ref> The stone is usually positioned on the lawn in front of Turoe House, set in a concrete base surrounded by a metal cattle grill.<ref name="MI">{{cite web| title=Turoe Stone, County Galway| work=Mythical Ireland| url=http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancientsites/turoe/index.html| access-date=2008-06-14| archive-date=9 May 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509165907/http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancientsites/turoe/index.html| url-status=live}}</ref> The Turoe stone is National Monument of Ireland Number 327 (NM#327).<ref name="NM327"> {{cite web |url = http://www.opw.ie/media/Listing%207%20January%202003.xls |title = List of National Monuments of Ireland |publisher = Office of Public Works |work = opw.ie/Heritage/NationalMonuments |format = XLS |access-date = 19 December 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref>{{dead link|date=October 2025}} As of 2025, the stone had been moved temporarily to an Office of Public Works depot in Athenry for conservation.<ref name=moved>{{cite web | title = GA097-152---- : Stone sculpture - aniconic (present location) : TUROE | access-date = 2025-10-17 | website = OPW: Heritage Ireland | quote = The stone has been temporarily removed to the Office of Public Works depot in Athenry for conservation purposes. | url = https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8 }}</ref>
==Features== The top half of the stone is covered with a continuous abstract curvilinear La Tène style design similar to that on the Castlestrange Stone in County Roscommon.<ref name="WE"/>
==History== The Turoe Stone was for centuries a curiosity at a ''lios'', or fairy fort, some 3 km from Bullaun, but was moved to Turoe Farm in the late 19th century and so the historic provenance has been destroyed. The religious or ceremonial purposes of the stone are lost in time. The stone can be classified as a ritual stone that might have been used in ceremonial rites such as the transfer of power.<ref>{{cite book |last=Meehan |first=Cary |date=2004 |title=Sacred Ireland |url= |location=Somerset |publisher=Gothic Image Publications |page=607|isbn=0 906362 43 1 |access-date=}}</ref>
George Coffey, in his 1904 paper for the Royal Irish Academy on the subject of La Tène art, said that the stone had been moved in the 1850s from the rath of Feerwore site.<ref name="MI"/>
The stone was temporarily moved to Dublin in 1967, as part of the ROSC 67 art exhibition, leading to the resignation of Niall Montgomery, of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, from the National Monuments Advisory Council.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=November 4, 1967 |title=Haughey rode down decision on Monuments - says architect |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1967/1104/Pg001.html |work=Irish Times |location=Dublin |publisher= |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref>
In 2007, a proposal to remove the Turoe Stone from its location near Loughrea due to concerns that the stone is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the elements, met fierce local opposition.<ref>{{cite web | title=Loughrea opposes Turoe Stone move | work=Galway Independent (17 October 2007) | url=http://www.galwayindependent.com/local-news/local-news/loughrea-opposes-turoe-stone-move/ | access-date=2008-06-14 | archive-date=7 September 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907141602/http://www.galwayindependent.com/local-news/local-news/loughrea-opposes-turoe-stone-move/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
As of 7 July 2014, it had been "temporarily" removed from the Turoe Petting Farm for restoration and cleaning.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rmchapple.blogspot.com/2013/05/release-iron-age-one-whats-happening-to.html|title=Robert M Chapple, Archaeologist: Release the Iron Age One!: What's happening to the Turoe Stone?|last=Chapple|first=Robert M.|date=2013-05-17|website=Robert M Chapple, Archaeologist|access-date=2018-05-31|archive-date=23 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123095637/http://rmchapple.blogspot.com/2013/05/release-iron-age-one-whats-happening-to.html|url-status=live}}</ref> By 2025, the stone had still not been returned.<ref name=moved />
==Excavations== The stone was originally outside the rath of Feerwore (Irish: ''Rath Férach Mhor'') at the top of Turoe hill in Turoe townland.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Jordan |first1=Kieran |last2=O'Connor |first2=Tom |title=Archaeological Sites of Interest Surrounding the Turoe Stone |journal=Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society |volume=55 |date=2003 |pages=110–116}}</ref> Excavation yielded much material suggesting that an open site dating to the late centuries BC had been later enclosed.<ref name="WE"/><ref name="IM">{{cite web | title=Turoe, County Galway: phallic stone | work=Irish Megaliths | url=http://www.irishmegaliths.org.uk/zTuroe.htm | access-date=2008-06-14 | archive-date=23 February 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080223081237/http://www.irishmegaliths.org.uk/zTuroe.htm | url-status=live }}</ref>
==See also== *Lia Fáil *Cross Inneenboy *Castlestrange Stone *Killycluggin Stone * Omphalos of Delphi
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.megalithicireland.com/Turoe%20Stone.htm Megalith Ireland – Photographs and sketch of design on Turoe Stone] *[http://www.ancientireland.org/turoe/index.htm Ancient Ireland – Photographs of the Turoe Stone]
{{European Standing Stones}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turoe Stone}} Category:Celtic art Category:Archaeological sites in County Galway Category:Megalithic monuments in Ireland Category:National monuments in County Galway