Ritual site - holy/saint's stone

The National Monuments Service's description

Immediately outside the entrance to Grallagh graveyard (DU007-001004-) on the N side and adjacent to the public road there is a water eroded boulder (dims. c. L 1m) with water channels forming irregular shaped hollow on the stone which is traditionally believed to be the mark of St. Michael and a cure for backache (Ó Danachair 1958, 75). The following folklore collected by Oldtown School recorded the following traditions about this stone which was associated with St Patrick rather than St Michael; 'There is a stone outside the gate of the Churchyard and there are five holes in it where Saint Patrick put his fingers. Anyone with sore hands who puts their fingers into the holes will get cured' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0787, Page 50; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428183/4384596). A second tradition also collected from Oldtown School recorded that; ' There is a stone with a big hole in it outside the Church-yard of the Grallagh and if you twist your arm around it three times it will cure a backache, because when Saint Patrick was blessing the well he tied his horse to the stone' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0787, Pages 37-8; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428183/4384563).

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Updated by: Christine Baker

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 4 April 2023

References

Ó Danachair, C. 1958 The holy wells of county Dublin. Reportorium Novum 2, 68-87; 2, No. 2 The holy wells of County Dublin: A supplementary list, 233-5.

Ó Danachair, C. 1958 The Holy Wells of North County Kerry. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 88, 153-63.