Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 23, 1912.djvu/115

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Collectanea.
93

they lay,—but no vengeance overtook those who levelled many dolmens at Miltown near Tulla.

Basin stones occur not infrequently at or near dolmens, e.g. at Kiltanon and Newgrove near Tulla, and at Ballyganner and Cappaghkennedy on the borders of Burren, at the last of which five appear in one slab. In the Life of St. Mochulleus,[1] written in 1141, a basin "like a large hydria" was found in a polished block of stone when the saint was levelling the site of his church on Tulla hill. The basins were evidently regarded as very early in date even in the twelfth century. The basin of Doughnambraher (Dabthach nam brathar) at Kyleeane has already been noticed.[2] A large block with two basins is amongst the remains at the place of inauguration of the local kings at Magh Adhair.[3]

Pillar stones and rocks.Boughils ("petrified boys") and farbreags ("petrified men") have been referred to in Section I.[4] A frog-like natural rock, close to the west side of the road from Kilkishen to Fortanne, was blasted and removed after 1887, but I have a sketch of it made in that year. There was a vague saying that it had been made, (and I think I was told also that it was a creature petrified when cursed), by some saint. The Coad stone is said to have been the same height (com fhod, "equal height or length," whence Co'ad),[5] as King Teige Acomhad O'Brien about 1460. It, the Cloghlea near Tomgraney, and the "cross" near Kilmoon were evidently boundary marks of church lands. Another legend of Coad

  1. Analecta Bollandiana, vol. xvii.; The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. xli., p. 9. The basin was filled with milk by a hind. Similar legends are found in Glendalough (County Wicklow) and elsewhere. Giraldus tells how a hollow stone at Skellig used to be filled with wine for the sacrament.
  2. Vol. xxii. (Plate IV). The name is Killian on the map. but is pronounced Kyle-e-aan, with a long stress on the last syllable.
  3. The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. xxvii., p. 79, vol. xxxiv., pp. 190-1.
  4. Vol. xxi., pp. 183, 186, and the legend of Knocknafearbreaga on p. 185; Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. xxiv. (c), p. 97, vol. xxvi. (c), p. 471.
  5. Com-fhod is also a synonym for a grave.