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The Ass's Leap - Cooneen, Templederry


I found this reference from the Irish Tourism Board's report on Templederry dating to the 1940s. Thanks to Tipperary Studies for having these valuable sources of history and folklore scanned. They are available to download here.

"The Ravens Rock, situated 100 yards from Poul Na Nas Waterfall in the direction of Ormond Stile; and between road and river, bear the alleged imprints of the two fore feet of an ass which jumped from Long John's Hill over Cooneen Hill to land here".

Often folklore can reveal previously unrecorded archaeological monuments. Last summer I tried to find the rock with the help of Tom Bán of Wovenworld Woodcraft. I didn't know what to expect down in this glen so Tom was kind enough to provide back-up. We entered the glen of the Nenagh River near Longjohnshill and worked our way along the bottom of the glen by Ravens Rock and going downstream found Poul an Ass waterfall. I thought that the footprints would be near the Ravens Rock as described but we had no luck in finding them. We did find the very impressive Poul an Ass waterfall though.
I noted the reference in a book I keep of things I want to see and thought that maybe in Winter when the foliage had died back I might be able to find it.

The two holes with my boot for scale.
Two weekends ago I gave another unsuccessful try at finding the rock, this time again exploring around Ravens Rock.
I decided to try the unusual step of putting an appeal out on facebook for any information on the missing imprints. The response was amazing and a number of people offered help and information about their whereabouts.
It was Sinead Ryan of Templederry (who used to be told the story about it while walking with her father) that was able to give me its exact whereabouts. So thanks to Sinead for her help in finding this. Also thanks to the others that shared and contacted me (particularly Aine O'Leary Costello).

Close-up of the left hoof
Close-up of the right hoof with the abrasions

I had hoped that perhaps these imprints were carvings of some sort. Often folklore like this can refer to bullaun stones or prehistoric rock-art. However these imprints are more than likely natural. One of them does look quiet "finger" like with three impressions of lines in it. This is probably a natural type of erosion of some kind but it would put you in mind of an imprint of maybe three fingers of a hand or a footprint.

So although they aren't what I hoped they were I was delighted to finally find them. I still think it is important to record places with folklore attached to them such as this. In my opinion, one of the best things about Ireland is how the landscape "comes alive" in its folklore and placenames. It is definitely something worth preserving.

You can see the stone is not flat.

Just a note that the road they are beside is very narrow and if trying to fnd them it is best to park at the top of the valley where there are a few road parking spots on the left and walk back down.

Location of stone near road.

Comments

  1. Cora Ryan29 January 2017 at 18:05

    Hi Derek,
    We went to find the Asses Leap this evening also and up to the waterfall. We think Ravens Rock is a different rock however that is further up the road.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Derek Ryan29 January 2017 at 22:48

    Thanks Cora I seen your pics over on Facebook - I think Ravens Rock is a sheer cliff / rock face farther up the glen (as you say). I calculated the grid ref of it from the old maps and used a GPS to find it. That was what was in the position (cliff face) so if the 1840's surveyors were correct it should be it. When you are down in the glen it is probably one of the highest vertical face of rock that I can recall.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Michelle30 September 2022 at 23:05

    Could you share the grid ref or gps please?

    ReplyDelete

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