What is recorded here

Half a metre of sandstone, hollowed like a cup, still sits on the rebuilt church wall in the north graveyard. Rain may have cut the bowl or a human hand may have shaped it for oil, water or prayer. The stone predates the concrete pedestal beneath it, meaning the church and graveyard rose around an older marker rather than the marker arriving later.

Located at the site of a church (MA117-009001-), in the N half of a graveyard (MA117-009002-). This bullaun stone consists of a block of sandstone (Wth 0.4m by 0.42m at top, 0.14m by 0.3m at base; H 0.26m) with a bowl-shaped, circular depression (diam. 0.25m; D 0.1m) in the upper surface. The stone is roughly square in horizontal cross-section at top but narrows at the base, so that in vertical cross-section it is roughly V-shaped, with a blunted base. It has rounded or gently curved edges, except on one side (now at W) where there is a sheer vertical face. The top of the circular depression grades gently into the top surface of the stone; the sides incline inwards steeply to a narrow base. The bullaun stone is set on a small pedestal of cement, on top of the low rebuilt E wall of a church (MA117-009001-). Images: MA117-009003-_01.JPG MA117-009003-_02.JPG Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of revised upload: 25 July 2017

Likely dating to the early Christian period, bullaun stones were often used for ritual purposes, such as the preparation of holy water or as baptismal fonts. They are sometimes associated with local saints or folklore, though specific traditions for this stone are not recorded.

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