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Cé go bhfuil fhios ag beagnach gach éinne sa Daingean cá bhfuil an ‘Holy Stone’, mar a chuireann siad air, níl éinne cinnte cén úsaid a bhain daoine as an bullán san ón dtús, nó, fiú, ca raibh as an cloch (gallán?) féin. Cé go raibh séipéal i Lána an Séipéal ins an 18ú aois, ceapainn daoin go b’fhéidir go raibh sé in úsáid mar umar d’uisce beannaithe ag an am san. Ach cinnte, ní h’é sin an céad úsaid a bhí aici. Is ins na mainistir ón luaith-ré Christíochta a bhfaigheann daoine na bulláin san, de gnáth, agus cinnte go b’fhéidir go raibh baint acu ag ollumhú plandaí nó a leithead chun iad a úsáid ins na searmonais a bhí ag na manaigh ag an am.
Quite a bit of mystery surrounds the ‘Holy Stone’, a large boulder situated on Goat Street, Dingle, near the junction with Chapel Lane (and not to be confused with the Holyground, at the other end of town). There are several large depressions on the upper surface of this stone, which lead archaeologists to classify it as a ‘bullaun stone’. This name, as with so many terms in Irish archaeology (gallán, clochán, leacht, crannóg, lios, rath, fulacht fiadh) comes from an Irish word, bullán/bollán, which can mean a large stone or boulder, or a hollow in a stone (depending on the dictionary you use!) These artefacts, usually seen in examples much smaller than the one in Dingle town, and generally with only one depression in them, are found in association with early medieval monastic sites more so than in any other context.
There are several suggestions as to why the Holy Stone is where it is, and what its function may have been. It has been suggested that the stone acted as a font for the Catholic church which stood on Chapel lane during the 18th century, and an Ordnance Survey source records that ‘rounds’ were made at it. It has also been suggested that it was once located elsewhere, at Milltown, just outside the town, where standing stones and rock art are still to be seen (which date back to the early Bronze Age, or perhaps even earlier). We will probably never know which, if any of these suggestions is the correct one.
So, what were bullauns used for? Their function as a holy water font is mentioned above, but that is in a more recent context. It has been suggested that the original purpose for these stones, particularly when found associated with early monastic sites, might be as some kind of grinding stones, but with a special ecclesiastical purpose (explaining why they are not generally found on the secular sites of the same period, i.e. the ringforts, cashels etc.) Maybe they had some form of ceremonial use, preparing materials to be used in some religious rituals carried out? We may never know for certain.
It is interesting to note that, right beside the Holy Stone, the survival of one of the pumps that used supply water to the people living on the street. These items of ‘street furniture’, though of much more recent date, are as important, in a way, to the history of the town as is the Holy Stone!
Further information about this, and other archaeological sites in Dingle and elsewhere on the peninsula, can be found in Músaem Chorca Dhuibhne, Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, www.westkerrymuseum.com. The museum is open 10.00 am – 5.00 pm, 7 days a week. Tel: 066-9156333 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. €2.50 for adults, €1.50 concessions, €7.00 families. Group rates available. There is also a café with fresh baking daily and a bookshop, and free Wi-Fi for customers!
