Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy tree/bush
Killiskea, County Offaly, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Killiskea
- County
- Offaly
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Skeaghacroghery
- Latest-edition OS map
- Skeaghacroghery (Site of)
- Coordinates
- 53.27833, -7.53238
- SMR number
- OF016-022001-
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 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Hawthorn bush depicted on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map as 'Skeaghacroghery' standing on a circular hill or a possible enclosure (OF016-022002-) which was used as a mass site during the penal times. The holy bush had been removed by 1908 as this edition of the OS 6-inch map depicts the monument as 'Skeaghacroghery (Site of). Known locally as the mass bush and according to local information it was the first bush in the area to get its leaves every year. Described in the ITA Survey as, 'a low knoll on undulating limestone plateau. The place is tilled and there is no sign of a fort (OF016-022002-) nor is the thing remembered. It was presumably a thorn bush' (ITA Survey 1942). Today there are no visible surface remains.
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload/revision: 28 December 2011
Nearby in the register
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
- Standing stoneunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Barrow - ditch barrowunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.