Bullaun stone in Cill Ura Thoir

This stone stands upright on the E side of the road passing through Kildurrihy village. It stands 1.22m high and is 2.3m wide and .3 to .5m thick. On its E face is a roughly circular depression, .27 to .3m in diameter, .15m deep and almost conical in section. On its W face are 3 possible cup-marks and 4 incised crosses; the latter were apparently executed within living memory (local information). The stone allegedly once lay prostrate beyond the farmhouse on the W side of the road and it is possible that the depression on its E face is a bullaun. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 967. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013

Likely dating to the early medieval period, the bullaun stone may have been used for ritual purposes, such as the preparation of holy water or as a site for Christian pilgrimages. Such stones often have associations with local saints or folklore.