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Bullaun stone in Attirory

Bullaun stone

What is recorded here

Bullaun stone in Attirory is a D-shaped rock with a single basin, found at the top of a prominent drumlin above the River Shannon in County Leitrim. It had disappeared into a road bank after leaving a nearby house, then reappeared during excavation, proving that even forgotten things return when dirt is moved. The basin is shallow enough to hold rainwater but deep enough to mark repeated use, suggesting someone sat there often, perhaps praying, cooling hands or simply watching the river turn.
Located at the top of a prominent drumlin with a N-S section of the River Shannon c. 300m top the W. This is a D-shaped bullaun stone (dims 0.8m x 0.5m; H 0.5m) with a single basin (diam. 0.32m; D 0.16m) worn down at one side which had been at a nearby house in 1977 (SMR file). It became incorporated into the road bank but was rediscovered in excavation (Delaney 2015, 2). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 15 October, 2019 Amended: 10 January 2020
Likely dating to the Early Christian period, bullaun stones were often used for ritual purposes, possibly as baptismal fonts or for anointing with holy water. They are sometimes associated with early monastic sites or sacred landscapes, and local folklore may link them to saintly figures or healing traditions.

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What survives
Recorded monument

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