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Bullaun stone in Kilteany

Bullaun stone

What is recorded here

Kilteany preserves a triangular stone slab, nineteen decimetres long and thirty centimetres wide at its broad end, beside a church in County Mayo. A shallow circular hollow marks its upper surface, possibly formed by repeated prayer or merely exposed by weather and time. The stone still lies where local memory placed it, inviting touch and silence rather than explanation.
Located in a graveyard (MA026-003002-), at the SE corner of a church (MA026-003001-). The bullaun stone consists of a roughly triangular-shaped slab, 1.9m in length, and 0.2m in thickness. It is 1.35m wide at its broadest end but narrows to 0.3m at the other end. On the upper surface, off centre towards the broader end of the slab, is a shallow circular depression (diam. 0.35m; D 0.13m). The upper sides of the depression are rather rough and natural in appearance. Attached images: MA026-003004-_01.JPG Viewed from S MA026-003004-_01.JPG Viewed from E Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 9 July 2013
Likely dating to the early Christian period, the bullaun stone may have been used for ritual purposes, such as the preparation of holy water or as a baptismal font. Such stones are often associated with local saints and may have had both religious and folkloric significance in the community.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.

What survives
Recorded monument

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