Bullaun stone in Keeloge (clonlisk By.)

Kilcomin [Ceall Chuimín/Cill Chuimín/church of Cuimín] named after Cuimín Fada [long] a seventh century saint who was born in the territory of Caoille Conaill, located between Rathfran bay and Lacken Bay, in the barony of Tirawley, Co. Mayo where his family operated a school (Ó Riain 2011, 245). The Ordnance Survey Letters of 1838 identified Kilcommon old churchyard with ‘Disert Chuimin’ which was located close to the borders of Leinster and Munster (Herity 2008, 182). Situated in flat pasture with good views in all directions. Roughly circular shaped boulder that was originally located in stand of coniferous treees that were cut down a couple of years ago and the bullaun stone that is locally known as St Cuimin's Stone was relocated to the corner of the field. Originally the stone was located at Nat. Grid Ref. 206043/189807 and was then moved to its current location 20m to the west in the corner of the same field. Large circular boulder (diam. 1.2m; H 0.4m) with three hollow depressions on its surface the deepest hollow measures 0.4m diam by 0.14m deep, the second depression is located on the edge of the stone and measures 0.42m diam. by 0.1m deep, the third and shallowest depression measures 0.25m diam. by 0.1m deep. This stone is associated with St Cuimin of the nearby monastery of Kilcomin (OF041-004002-). Local people used to visit the bullaun stone and leave behind votive offerings to St Cuimín in the hollow depressions and was especially known for its cure of headaches (pers. comm. Henry Bevans), none of these offerings survive today. Bullaun stone associated with the monastery of Kilcomin (OF041-004005-) and described in the nineteenth century as 'In a rock, near Rutland, in the neighbourhood near Kilcommon, are some marks like impressions from human knees and arms. These, at least some years ago, were held in high veneration as being the marks of St. Cuimin's devotional prostrations - the devout saint having by continual prayer, worn traces in the solid limestone' (Cooke 1875, 211). Same site as OF041-004005-. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 12 June 2014