Bullaun stone in Newchurch

Formerly built into a field boundary on the E side of a farm lane, where it was in an upright position with the depression facing outwards. The stone has now fallen out of the boundary and rests on other fallen stones near the base of the boundary. There was a small settlement cluster immediately W of the lane up until 1850 and possibly an earlier settlement at the S-SE end of the land (Carrigan 1905, vol. 4, 82). Carrigan (ibid. 82-3) notes that there was a church (KK035-070----) associated with the ‘old town’ called Killiny, which name suggests an early medieval date. The precise location of the church is unknown, being described by Carrigan (ibid.) as being in Newchurch townland, ‘near the bounds of Ballygown (Ponsonby)’. A roughly rounded triangular-shaped small sandstone boulder (0.41m x 0.37m; H 0.25m) with a circular depression (Wth at top 0.1m; Wth at base 0.05m; D 0.07m) 0.05m from one edge of the flat upper surface. According to local tradition the water in the hollow never ran dry. It is possible that the stone may have functioned as a spud stone, possibly for a gatepost associated with the former settlement. However, despite the fact that the circular depression in the boulder is not very wide or shallow, which would be more typical of a bullaun, the possible association with an early medieval church and the local tradition of there always being water in the depression, suggests this could be a bullaun stone. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

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 pilgrimages. In folklore, such stones are often associated with saintly figures and local healing traditions.