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Brewell's Hill

Stone Circle

Folklore

On the summit of Brewel Hill, 2 1/2 miles S.W. of Dunlavin, encircled by a wide double entrenchment now much levelled, is a group of four large boulders of which two are granite, another is of white quartz while the fourth is of red "pudding stone." Locally they are known as the "Piper's Stones," the quartz one being called the "Piper's Chair," from the resemblance its form bears to that of a chair.

[...] According to legend, three giants - pipers by profession - had a dispute as to which of them could throw a stone the farthest. They decided to put their strength to the test and chose Knuckadow, a tall hill about a mile and a half south of Brewel, as the position from which the "cast" was to be thrown. The stones landed on the top of Brewel hill where they remain to this day. The fourth, and smallest boulder, was thrown by a young ambitious piper who was spectator of the contest and desired to emulate his older brethren.

Legend, also relates that one of these giants had a famous greyhound which, two days after the contest, leaped from Knuckadow to Brewel, and, landing on the stones, left the imprint of its toe nails on each boulder.
From 'The Antiquities of the Dunlavin-Donard District (Counties of Wicklow and Kildare)' by Patrick T. Walshe, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 7th series, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Dec. 31, 1931).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
27th February 2010ce
Edited 27th February 2010ce

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