Once again I found myself looking at this huge phallic standing stone from only two angles. The first is from just in front of the modern obsenity thing that looks like a tombstone (anything to cut this from view). The second is with the Mound Of Hostages in the distance, again witout the slab in view.

A truly wonderful and powerful stone. Shame it's in the wrong place.

Despite what others say I do believe that there is more to this stone than meets the eye. It is commonly believed that this is definitely not the real Stone of Destiny (which must have been the first monument to be destroyed by the incoming Christians) and it was good to hear someone say this out loud on the Hill itself.

However, I do believe that it does bear the signs of cup marks and other carvings, which must have made the early manuscript believe it was an important stone. I also managed to photograph the small cross carved on this stone when it was placed over the grave of those who fell at the battle of Tara in 1798.

Quite some time ago now the stone was given a paved surround. It was quite odd not to see the puddle that I had become so used to standing in. Odd though it looks, I think it is an improvement and will presumably help to stop the collected water from damaging the base of the stone.