Ritual site - holy tree/bush

The National Monuments Service's description

The OS Letters (1839) refer to a bullaun stone (KK023-009001-) known as St. Patrick's Knee on the W side of the Kilkenny - Kells road and c. 300m SE of a standing stone (KK023-008----). Shearman (1876-8, 200) notes that an, 'old hawthorn bush over-shadows the Glun Padraig [Patrick's Knee]; on its branches hang the usual ex votis of shreds torn from the garments of the visitors and devotees' (ibid.). Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 393) quotes the OS Letters' description of the bullaun and adds that the bullaun stone is shaded by, 'a large, old sccach [bush], which the people call "Patrick's Bush," and which they still hold in veneration through reverence of our National Apostle. Its branches are plentifully hung with the usual ex voto offerings, such as pieces of cloth, linen, &c.'. Carrigan (ibid., 392-3) also refers to a church (KK023-009003-)and graveyard (KK023-009004-) which according to tradition were located adjacent to the bullaun stone and holy tree.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 1 June 2021

References

Shearman, Rev. J.F. 1876-8 Loca Patriciana – Part XI. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 14, 188-245.

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1930 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Kilkenny collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839. Bray.