What is recorded here

Bullaun stone in Toberlyan Duffin is a shallow circular hollow cut into a boulder near a boundary in County Cavan, Ireland. It is no longer at the holy well where it once belonged, having been moved about sixty metres south-southwest from its original place. The distance is small on a map but large in memory, since the stone may have marked prayer, suffering or ritual before becoming a border object. What is missing is not the hole, which still exists, but the circle of boulders and the life that moved around them.

Circular, shallow bullaun (diam. 0.23m; D 0.14m) in a boulder (H 0.15m; dims. 0.72m x 0.22m) which was formerly one of a series of boulders which surrounded a holy well (CV013-063001-) and served as penitential stations (local information). Bullaun stone is now situated close to a boundary c. 60m SSW of original location. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1995). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 22 December 2008

Likely dating to the early Christian period, the bullaun stone was used for ritualistic or penitential practices, often associated with pilgrimages to holy wells. Such stones were traditionally used for anointing or as stations for prayer and self-flagellation in religious observance.

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