History & Culture · Kilcullen
Broadleas Stone Circle
Broadleas Stone Circle, also known as The Piper’s Stones, is a large prehistoric stone circle near Ballymore Eustace in County Kildare. Set on a raised grassy platform and surrounded by ash, holly and hawthorn trees, it is one of the county’s most atmospheric ancient monuments.
Category: Historic Monuments
Location: Broadleas Commons, near Ballymore Eustace / Hollywood, County Kildare
Type: Prehistoric stone circle
Also known as: The Piper’s Stones
Likely date: Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age
Overview
Broadleas Stone Circle is a large prehistoric stone circle in County Kildare, close to Ballymore Eustace and the N81. Although you mentioned Kilcullen, the sources I found place Broadleas nearer to Ballymore Eustace / Hollywood, rather than in Kilcullen itself.
The monument consists of a ring of large granite boulders set on a slightly raised platform. Reports vary on the number of surviving stones, with modern descriptions giving figures from around 27 to 29, while older accounts suggest many more stones once formed the complete circle. The original total may have been closer to 47 or 50 stones.
Why it matters
Broadleas is one of the notable prehistoric monuments in this part of County Kildare. Stone circles are usually associated with ceremonial, ritual or communal activity in the later prehistoric period, and Broadleas is especially atmospheric because of its setting among ash, holly and hawthorn trees.
The site is also linked with folklore. Older antiquarian writing records Broadleas as “The Piper’s Stones”, a name also used for similar stone circles. One tradition says that fairy music, like the sound of bagpipes, could sometimes be heard at the site.
What to notice
Look for the broad circular arrangement of low boulders, the gaps where stones may have been removed, and the way trees have grown within and around the monument. One frequently noted feature is a split stone with a holly tree growing from it. The circle is roughly 27 to 30 metres across, depending on the source and the axis measured.
The monument is not a neat, manicured site. Its overgrown character is part of the experience, but it can also make the full circular plan harder to read on the ground.
Visiting Broadleas Stone Circle
Broadleas Stone Circle is on private land, so access should not be assumed. Some visitors have recorded being granted permission locally, but anyone planning a visit should seek permission where possible, respect gates and livestock, and avoid disturbing the stones, trees or surrounding ground.
If you are creating a public listing, it is worth presenting Broadleas as a heritage site to be appreciated respectfully, rather than as a formal visitor attraction with guaranteed access.