Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Cursing stone
Killian, County Clare, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Killian
- County
- Clare
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 52.91830, -8.94651
- SMR number
- CL026-003007-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Situated in the basin of a bullaun stone (CL026-003003-) lying inside the perimeter of an ecclesiastical enclosure (CL026-003001-). The bullaun is named 'Doughnambraher Font' on the OS 6-inch maps (1840 and 1920). Seven 'fist-sized' egg-shaped water-rolled stones lie in the basin which is sometimes waterfilled and associated with the cure of warts. There were previously ten stones (MacMahon 1994, 17) although the number seems to vary up and down over time (Lenihan 1994, 44). Stacpoole (1904, 190) includes nine stones in his drawing. 'Rounds' performed here involved rubbing each stone against the afflicted part of the body and placing an offering of some sort under the bullaun. In February 1993 this practice continued (Lenihan 1994, 44). While stones of this type are generally classified as cursing stones there is no known evidence of their use for that purpose in this instance. Cursing stones are known from a variety of ecclesiastical sites and are present on the altar (CL041-062003-) at St. John's Well, Killone (CL041-062004-).
Compiled by: Mary Tunney
Date of upload: 30 November 2016
References
Lenihan, E. 1994 The holy wells of Doora-Barefield parish. The Other Clare 18, 43-48.
Stacpoole, G.C. 1904 'Doughnambraher Font', Kyleane, County Clare. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries 34, 190.
MacMahon, M. 1984 The Doughnambraher font. The Other Clare 8, 17-18.
Nearby in the register
- Bullaun stoneunder 1 mi
- Children's burial groundunder 1 mi
- Ecclesiastical enclosureunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.