Bullaun stone

The National Monuments Service's description

In grassland, situated atop ridge running E-W in upland area with good views of the surrounding countryside from W through N to NNE. Ruins of Lissenhall House located 100m to S. Spring well known as the vaulted well (TN020-100----) 270m to NNE. Holy well known as Patrick’s Well (TN020-085001-) located 340m to NE. Roughly rectangular shaped boulder (H 0.78m-0.5m x 0.97m x 1m) the surface of which slopes upwards from E to W. A deep circular hollow or bowl (top diam. 0.27m; base diam. 0.12m; D 0.14m) is located off centre close to W edge of stone. Nine smooth water-rolled stones (dam. 0.1-0.2m) have been placed into the bowl of the bullaun. The remains of two shallow circular depressions (diam. 0.16m; 0.2m) can be seen on the surface of the boulder close to the E edge. According to the ITA Survey carried out in the 1940s, this bullaun stone was used as a mass rock during penal times and was known locally as ‘Ballycahill Mass Rock’ (pers. comm. Derek Ryan). The ITA described the site as following: ‘By an old whitethorn bush, on the rim of a semi circular depression in the ground, is a roughly built table of large stones. One huge stone on top has a circular bowl-shaped depression about a foot (0.3m) in diameter which is said to have been used as a Holy water font’.
Lissenhall school recorded in the 1930s the following folklore about the locality which appears to be describing this bullaun stone; ‘On the tops of several large stones here there are small holes which fill with water. People who have warts rub them with this water are cured. The holes are known as wart wells. It is said that mass was offered on these stones in Penal days & that the holes were holy water fonts’ (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0537, Page 302).

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 10 June 2016

References

Irish Tourist Association. Surveys undertaken in the 1940s for the Irish Tourist Association (now Fáilte Ireland) relating to ‘Natural features, antiquities, historic associations etc.' Extracts from these surveys were copied into the Topographical files of the Office of Public Works and these have been incorporated into the Sites and Monuments Record files (National Monuments Service).