St Patricks Bed

On an oval hillock (dims c. 44m N-S; c. 33m E-W; H 1.8-2.5m) rising from a level landscape. Described as a slab resting on some small stones and surrounded by a drystone wall (OS Name Books). A broken slab (dims 1.5m NE-SW; 1.15m NW-SE) surrounded by and partly overlain by a collapsed drystone wall (Wth c. 1m; H 0.3m). The base of the hillock is defined by a gapped earthen bank (Wth 3m; int. H 0.2m; ext. H 1.3m-1.4m) NE-SSE and a scarp (H 1.1m at N to 1.4m at W) elsewhere with a complete fosse (Wth of base 2.3m at N to 4m at W; D 0.2m at E to 1.4m at W), which has been re-cut as a drain SW-NW. Mature deciduous trees grow at the edge of the hill, and one at the summit has a small shrine with a statue. Two possible bullaun stones (RO015-054002-) (Gannon 1972) could not be found. Stations were performed here on Garland Sunday (MacNeill 1962, 631-2). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

Linked to St Patrick, the site is traditionally believed to mark the place where the saint rested or slept during his missionary journeys in Ireland. Such "bed" sites are often associated with early Christian pilgrimage and are sometimes connected to local cures or blessings, though specific folklore for this location is sparse.