What is recorded here

Gallán is a rectangular standing stone beside an old church enclosure in County Cork, pierced near the top by a hole small enough for a horse bridle or a cloth. Local memory claims wounded people passed handkerchiefs through that opening and returned healed, while a priest once tied his horse there before mass. The stone still stands at the edge of a levelled ringfort bank, preserving a boundary between ordinary land and a place where suffering might be transferred into rock.

On perimeter of levelled bank of ringfort (12716) within early ecclesiastical enclosure (13888). Stone (H 1.35m; 0.93m x 0.3m) is rectangular in plan, long axis NE-SW. Packing stones visible at base. Hole through SW angle near top. Incorrectly located on 1842 OS 6-inch map c. 18m to SE. According to a 'farmer of the locality...if those suffering from any hurt or wound pass a handkerchief through the hole they would be cured.' (Condon 1916-18, 147). Windele (1905-25, vol. 3, 334) in 1850 was informed that a priest celebrated mass here and tied the bridle of his horse through the hole. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

Probably dates to the early medieval period, associated with the nearby ecclesiastical enclosure. The hole may indicate a ritual or functional use, possibly as a boundary marker or ceremonial object.

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