With the above in mind and concerning the thousands of monuments on the Irish landscape there are multiple questions we can ask but as history and memory are gone, we are left to speculate with questions and research agendas. Aspects such as knowledge distribution, human and cultural evolution, diversity, culture and nature, the importance of the individual or even the group are all key threads to think about when studying a place, whether in 2008 A.D. or in 2,500 B.C.

With regard to the stone row at Agharinagh, when and why was it was built? What is its cultural meaning? How valued was this site by the local community of its time? Was there a sizeable local population in Bronze Age times? What was the extent of farming? How much of the forested landscape was cut down? What were the grazing patterns and 'fieldscapes'? How do these monuments fit into the everyday routine of life? How did people negotiate the basics of life and death? What were the power or family structures?

We know that through creating monuments like Agharinagh stone row they like us had a huge interest in the power of myth and even nostalgia. Memorabilia and memories are bound up in archaeological monuments. In the absence of photographs and penning family trees in today's world, the way for past societies of preserving their past was through stone. I also have no doubt that people would have chatted about life whilst constructing such monuments.

The creation of a cultural monument is also dependent on the depth of human emotion and self belief structures. The community that built such monuments must have already been living in the area. One may decide to build the monument in a few minutes but monuments such as Agharinagh stone row needed some type of mental planning. Cultural and communal considerations had to be taken into account. The chosen landscape must have meant something to the community before construction took place.

There was a pre-existing bond with nature. One must have a pre-existing image in your mind of the landscape to decide to put a monument on it coupled with the desire to attempt to reshape the landscape.. The land evoked images other than that of a suitable place to live in. The contemporary society turned to their own imaginations to understand and order the world around them. Symbolism became important to people's sense of place and to their identity.

To be continued…

Sincere thanks to Patsy Regan, Agharinagh, Dripsey for his time and knowledge.

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