The Tipperary Antiquarian

Duntryleague Passage-tomb near Galbally, Co. Limerick. I always seem to think this is in Tipperary , probably because the view to the east is of the Galtees and the "Harps of Cliu" and because it is on the same ridge of mountain that forms the Glen of Aherlow where Tipperary 's only confirmed passage tomb is located ( Shrough ). This passage tomb is unusual in that it is aligned towards the north. It is located within a forestry plantation that with every new picture I see, seems to be growing taller and taller. I first visited in 2006 when the trees had last been harvested and here are some pictures from this visit. I suppose you could argue that this is   the essence of antiquarianism, visiting monuments and preserving photos and sketches (or whatever) of them before time, nature or human action change them. I found some wonderful folklore on duchas.ie about the tomb, also known as Darby's Bed. Much of the action in this story takes place...

There are currently 14 intact megalithic tombs recorded in North Tipp. Eleven wedge-tombs, two portal-tombs & one court-tomb. There are also records of megalithic structures (possible tombs that don't conform to any of the above types) and there are three of those recorded. However there are also records of a number of tombs that are unfortunately destroyed or missing. Cooleen The first one we will look at was at Cooleen. It was recorded in 1969 by O'Nuallain & De Valera and a photograph was even taken of it. From Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland : Vol IV by Ruaidhrí De Valera & Sean O Nuaillain   Although heavily overgrown at the time it was clearly an impressive tomb with a gallery that was 6 m long. By 1972 it was being used as a dumping ground for other large stones from the surrounding area. In 1969 De Valera & O'Nuaillain even drew a plan of the tomb. From Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland : Vol IV by Ruaidhrí De Valera...

I found this great drawing from 1791 of St. Lua's Oratory which was located on an island on the River Shannon just outside Ballina in North Tipp. The island was drowned when the Ardnacrusha Hyrdo Electric Power plant was built and the level of the water raised. The Oratory was removed stone by stone and reerected in the yard of the RC Church in Killaloe. For some foklore on St. Lua see the following "Long ago there lived on an Island in the vicinity of Killaloe a saint named ... Lua or Molua. It was from this Saint that the town and the diocese got their names. The Cathedral however is called after St Flannan. There are few places in Ireland of more historical interest, combined with unrivalled scenery, than that to which St. Lua gave his name. One of the most ancient monasteries on the Shannon was that built by Molua in the sixth century and this and the monastery called Iniscalthra, founded by Caimin, are situated amidst scenic beauty. Both had...

A pair of earth-fast Bullaun stones in the vicinity of Youghalarra monastic site in North Tipp. Although known locally I realised it hadn't been included in the SMR and notified it to the National Monuments Service. Just one of many interesting sites in the half barony of Arra. Described on archaeology.ie as follows: "In pasture, in a slight hollow, on NE facing slope of rising ground overlooking Lough Derg to N and E, higher ground to NW and W. The shoreline of Lough Derg is 650m to NE. St. Conlan's church (TN014-015001-) and graveyard (TN014-015002-) 1.4km to SE. Second bullaun stone (TN014-078001-) 1.2m upslope to W. A subrectangular earthfast sandstone boulder (dims. 1.15m x 1m; H 0.22m) with two bowl-shaped water-filled hollows (top diam. 0.41m; base diam. 0.3m; D 0.2m) on its upper surface. The W hollow (top diam. 0.41m; base diam. 0.3m; D 0.2m) is 0.04m from shallow E hollow (diam. 0.36m; D 0.07m). According to local tradition these stones were bel...

At over 2.6m tall - this standing stone next to the largest wedge tomb in Tipperary is likely to be the tallest standing stone still standing in Tipp. There is some interesting folklore linking it with the story of Diarmuid & Grainne. They of course were thought to have spent the night in the nearby wedge tomb or leaba. "About 200 yards from this house in an old road stands a pillar stone about 12 ft high. Around this stone is a print of a chain and at one time by its side was a smaller stone, which is now broken and carried away. Longstone tradition says it was brought by Diarmuid on his back by means of a chain and the smaller stone brought by Granna. Stones in the construction of labba seem to be brought a short distance from a Quarry down under in the Glen." It is interesting to note the height of 12ft - this converts back to 3.6m high, what happened to the additional 1m! https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922162/4857307/5016449

Red Hugh on his horse by Gavigan 01 at English Wikipedia Creative Commons Atrribution - Share Alike 3.0 Unported One of the most interesting bits of folklore I came across when I started reading the Irish Folklore Manuscripts when they went online was the story of "The Ultachs" in the Slieve Felims. One version that seems to have carried through is that a number of Ulster men from Donegal settled in the Slieve Felims on the retreat after the Battle of Kinsale. It is thought that they were part of Red Hugh O'Donnells army who passed this way from Holy Cross to Croom and may have seen how sparsely populated the area was at that time and so on the way back decided that it could be a place to settle. From Foilycleara (just over the border into Co. Limerick). " Several families of people in this locality are referred to as "Ultachs". They have typical Donegal names such as Quigley, Dogherty, Devitt, Carew, Carr. After the name Ryan the most numerous...

Part of a Shrine to St. Columba / Mass Rock and bullaun stone at Terryglass Catholic Church in North Tipp. Folklore suggests that it was a part of a Shrine that housed the remains of St. Columba at one stage. It also says that the rock was later used as a mass-rock at this site. This is slightly contradicted by the folklore saying it was located at the National School in Terryglass prior to the 1930s when it was moved to the "new" cemetery. I had initially wondered if it may ... have been the base of an old high-cross and whether there may be any faint carvings on it that could be brought up with a light but I think that seems unlikely after a second visit to it recently. From an information board at St. Columbas Headache Well. "For centuries, pilgrims have prayed for healing at St. Columba's Headache Well. St. Columba's founded a monastery in Tir Dhá Ghlas in 549AD. Some years after his death, his remains were returned to Tir Dhá Ghlas to be laid to ...