Laghtfinnan Penitential Station — Kilkeehagh,gleensk

Laghtfinnan Penitential Station: This cairn, with an ogham stone standing on it, is located close to the top of a spur which extends NW from Drung Hill. It straddles the boundary of Gleensk and Kilkeehagh townlands, which is also the boundary of the parishes of Killinane and Glenbeigh, and is situated a short distance from the two cairns at Gleensk (KE062-004---- & KE062-006----). There are panoramic views from it in all directions, with Dingle Bay to N and the valleys of the Ferta and Carhan rivers to W. The cairn is composed of widely spread, loose stones, including much quartz, and is subcircular in plan. It averages 30m in diameter and barely exceeds 1m in maximum height. The ogham stone is located on a small platform located off-centre on top of the cairn. This platform is of approximately rectangular plan, measuring c. 3.5m N-S x 2.5m E-W and averaging .5m high. The stone stands 1.06m in maximum height and measures .33m x .2m in basal dimensions. Preserved on its NE angle are the poorly preserved characters of an inscription, much of which appears to have been spalled off. Macalister (1945, 227) read the surviving inscription as: MAQI R[. . . . This is still clearly decipherable, and two vowel notches follow the R. Macalister postulated RECTA for the second word. A small encircled linear cross occurs on the E face of the stone. The monument is variously referred to as Leacht Fhiondin or Leacht an Daimh, and it was the focal point of an assembly/pilgrimage to Drung Hill which traditionally took place on the last Sunday of July, Domlmach na dTuras. Local tradition holds that St Finan and his dog are buried beneath the cairn (MacNeill 1962, 134-7), though it is also reputed to mark the burial place of Sgeolmhaidhe - one of Fionn Mac Cumhaill's hounds (Barrington 1976, 168). A holy well, dedicated to St Finan, is located nearby (KE063-028----). Pilgrimages to the site ceased in the early twentieth century. The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 389. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013