The Witches’ Stone

Nearest town:
Glaslough (63km SW)
Latitude:
54° 43' 25.97 N
Longitude:
6° 12' 36.5 W
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Folklore

The Witches’ Stone
Bullaun Stone
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Oct 23, 2010

“The Witches’ stone,” near Antrim Round Tower, from its name evidently originally a cursing site, is a rock bullan. The tower, according to current tradition, was erected by a “hag” who, when it was finished, as the readiest way of descending, took a flying leap and alighted on this stone, situated about 120 yards from the base of the structure. She stumbled – little wonder – on landing, and struck the rock with one elbow and one knee, which accounts for the cup-like depressions seen in the illustration. These, as is usual, are stated never to be without water. The largest cavity is 15 inches long, 12 inches wide and 9 inches deep; the smaller depression is 6 inches wide by 3 inches in depth. The rock itself is 6 feet long by about 4 1/2 feet broad. It lay originally by the side of a brook, but many years ago the stream was diverted, a wall was built between it and the stream, and the enclosed area converted into a garden.

From ‘Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland’ by W G Wood-Martin (1902).

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