Newgrange Great Circle Stone GC9

Great Circle stone GC9 is one of the surviving standing stones in the Great Circle at Newgrange. It stands to the west of the entrance to the mound.

The Great Circle originally consisted of approximately 35 standing stones surrounding the mound, although only 12 survive today. The four tall standing stones opposite the entrance to the Newgrange mound rise between 2 and 2.5 metres above the original ground surface. They are GC3, GC1, GC-1 and GC-2. Many of the other surviving stones were broken in antiquity and now stand only a short distance above ground level.

Unlike the decorated kerbstones of Newgrange, none of the standing stones in the Great Circle are carved. The circle has an average diameter of 103.6 metres (340 feet) and encloses an area of approximately two acres.

Newgrange – Archaeology, Art and Legend

Newgrange – Archaeology, Art and Legend by Professor Michael J. O'Kelly and Claire O'Kelly is the definitive archaeological study of Newgrange and one of the most important books ever published on an Irish prehistoric monument.

Based on Professor Michael J. O'Kelly's excavations between 1962 and 1975, the book explains the construction, chronology, megalithic art and winter solstice alignment of Newgrange. O'Kelly also describes the excavation, interpretation and restoration of the great passage tomb using detailed archaeological records and architectural analysis.

Richly illustrated throughout, the volume includes the important contribution of Claire O'Kelly, who collaborated closely in the excavation and recording of the site from its earliest seasons.

First published in 1982, with a paperback edition in 1988, the book remains an essential reference for anyone interested in the archaeology, megalithic art and wider significance of Newgrange and the Boyne Valley.

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Newgrange | Brú na Bóinne

GC9 stands on the western arc of the Great Circle at Newgrange. None of the circle stones carry megalithic art; at Newgrange, carved decoration is concentrated on the kerb, the passage orthostats, the chamber and the roof-box above the entrance. The plain standing stones therefore played a different role from the sculpted greywacke slabs of the kerb ring, perhaps marking a formal boundary or processional space rather than serving as panels for carving.

The contrast with nearby Knowth, where many kerbstones are densely decorated, highlights how each Boyne Valley tomb has its own character within the shared passage-tomb tradition. Newgrange itself remains famous for the winter solstice alignment, when sunrise light enters the chamber through the roof-box. Brú na Bóinne was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993; GC9 and the other circle survivors can be seen from the path that encircles the mound.