Penitential station

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated 2.5m from the SE shore of Inis Cealtra, c. 40m S of St. Mary’s church (CL029-009008-) in a rough, marshy area. Named ‘Stone’ in Gothic script on the 1920 OS 6-inch map and listed in the RMP (1996) as 'Potential site - name'. The monument comprises 3 stones. An unworked conglomerate base stone ( Wth 0.74m; L 1m; H 0.22m) aligned NW-SE has a round-bottomed channel (Wth 0.2m; D 0.12m) extending along its long axis. Two limestone slabs are attached on top, overhanging the channel and meeting along its long axis. The larger slab (max. L 0.98m; max. Wth 0.4m; T 0.13m) is at NE. It has a pronounced convex curve on its NE face and a less pronounced concave curve on the SW face. The smaller slab is roughly rectangular (max. L 0.5m; max. Wth 0.28m; T 0.12m). Some of the channel is exposed at each end beneath this slab. There may have been other stones covering each end (Macalister 1916-17, 144). This group of stones is known traditionally as the ‘Bargaining stone’ as people joined hands through the channel to seal a bargain or a promise.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 21 October 2015

References

Macalister, R.A.S 1916-17 The history and antiquities of Inis Cealtra. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 33C, 93-174.