The townland of Cashty occupies the southern slopes of Bessy Bell, a large prominent mountain. The origins of the 'bell' part of the name is quite obvious - its shape - but where does the 'Bessy' come from? Is it a perversion of 'blessed'? Is it someone's name?
Although the OS map says 'Stone Circle' there are, in fact, multiple monuments here including two circles and a couple of alignments. This could be a Beaghmore (County Tyrone) type complex.
Not many of the stones are protruding from the peat and those that do are very small. They are spread across a little shelf on the hillside with massive views to the south.
A little further up the mountain there are areas where the peat has washed away. Here there are huge quantities of quartz stones scattered in 'rivers' coming down the slope. The soil level could not have been too great here before the peat formed, so could this slope have been special because of the heavy quartz content?
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A Random Selection of Nearby Monuments
 Cashelkeelty 1 (Co. Kerry) |  Ballyward (Co. Wicklow) |  Carrigagulla (Co. Cork) |
 Drumskinny (Co. Fermanagh) |  The Piper's Stones (Co. Wicklow) |  Clodagh (Co. Cork) |
