Cross-inscribed stone in Glenderry

St Macadaw's Church (in ruins), graveyard (KE013-023003-). About 3m from the E gable there is a square stone mound, 3.2m x 3.2m, and situated on top of this is a sculptured rock which had a cross painted in red on its side. The cross can still be seen. There is an alcove at the top of the sculptured rock to hold the round amulets locally known as 'bauleys'. According to tradition, two round amulets were blessed by St Erc and are believed to be a cure for all evils and ills. One of the bauleys lies in the graveyard, while the other is held in safe-keeping by the local Corridan family, who hold exclusive burial rights to the graveyard. The use and tradition of these amulets is interesting; a quantity of water is taken from the nearby holy well (KE013-026----) and placed in a vessel with the amulet, and the water is then drunk in honour of St Erc. Folklore collected from Glenderry School recorded the following details about The Church of the Son of David and the cross-inscribed stone; 'A mile from the point of Kerry head there is a height, and on it there is a church called The church of the son of David." No one is buried there but the Corridons. Before a Corridon dies there is a light seen there. There is a stone there outside the church yard and if any one takes it away it would come back again the following day. It is a very ancient church. There is nothing there now but the walls and ruins of it. They say there is a Bishop buried under this stone by the name of Bishop Erc, who lived and died there long ago' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0417C, Pages 02_010-11; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5236104/5232577). Folklore collected from Glenderry School recorded the following tradition about Keelmicada; 'About half a mile from the point of Kerryhead near the cliffs of Ballyheigue, there is a church called Keelmicada. Long ago there was a monastery there and monks and a bishop lived there. But the enemy came and carried away the monks and destroyed the place but the bishop escaped. Soon after that the bishop saw a light across the sea and he followed it and he saw it was Saint Brendan was then born. There is nothing standing there now only the old walls. Bishop Erc is buried there now and there is a mound over him and a long stone standing up, and a round stone on top of it. There is no one buried in this church only the Corridons, and a light is seen or a cry heard when a Corridon is going to die at home or in foreign lands' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0417C, Pages 04_007-008; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5236104/5232681). See attached photograph courtesy of Amanda Clarke The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 942. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Caimin O’Brien Date of revised upload: 19 May 2022