I am backwards and forwards to Waterford, repeatedly, at present.

The route we take brings us to a cross-roads on the Mullinavat to New Ross road at Smithstown, known by all around here as 'The Three Friars'

It is named thus because, high on a field at this junction there are three standing stones (erected in pre-historic times).....

.......that have been high-jacked as a memorial to three friars who were, reportedly, killed at this spot by Cromwell's forces in 1651.

We have a particular affection for this scene and spot as we have on our wall a watercolour of The Three Friars painted by our friend and neighbour Ramie Leahy.

But on one of these trips, one of us noticed that the three friars had become two.

And on another journey Naoise and I stopped to inspect the scene more closely and we discovered that one friar had fallen - again!

A cursory glance at Google's offerings provided little more information than I have revealed above, only that, adjacent to the Three Friars, there is a 'Holy Well'.......

....... but plainly this 'holy well' is actually a lime kiln!

The Three Friars were minded by someone by the name of Forristal and we wonder whether this minding has ceased - though I doubt that that the falling of a pre-historic, standing stone is an occurrence that could have been prevented - however careful the minding.
In fact, when I come to think about it, the collapse of a pre-historic edifice is a bit of a phenomenon in itself, is it not?

Sue plans to raise the matter on air when she returns to work to see if she can elicit any further information.