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Showing posts from September, 2023

Tobbernikelly or Tobernakilla - links to an inauguration landscape?

  The Civil Survey mentions a landmark known as Skaghnygon which is some kind of prominent bush in the landscape. It is mentioned in "The Sacred Trees of Ireland" by Lucas as being a potential "sacred tree". I have only recently discovered a bit more about Lucas he was a president of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland from 1969 to 1973 and director of the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) from 1954 to 1976. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_T._Lucas One of the landmarks near it mentioned below is Tobbernykelly. I just assumed that it was a name of a well associated with a family. However recently the penny dropped that there was a Tobernakilla marked on the old OS maps to the south-east of Ballinahinch village. It is only recorded as a well rather than a holy well and there is a suggestion that it may have been associated with a Church marked on the Down Survey maps whose exact location is unrecorded. Now there is really no evidence to say it was ...