We tried to see this ogham stone on September 23rd, 2003, but a couple of madly barking dogs made us give up. This time we were successful, we rang at the door of the house next to the ogham stone and we were granted the access as long as we were careful with the gates and didn't disturb the horses in the field. Two dogs welcomed us better than the other two dogs did 10 years ago. From this house we walked west for 80 metres on a path with three cattle gates, up to a mound in a huge circular enclosure. Here we found a horse, the only one we saw, and he was a real pain in the neck for us because he wasn't very friendly, and after a first moment of interest for the newcomers, he did his best to send us away. He tried to push us to the ground with his head, he snorted, he gnashed his teeth at us and also raised on his hind legs kicking his front legs in the air above our heads. All in all the visit to this site was quite a nightmare. The ogham stone is a tall and slender one and is right in the centre of this huge circular enclosure. It's 3.48 metres tall and it's 40 centimetres wide and 38 centimetres thick at the base. The ogham inscriptions are very faint and unreadable, the most visible marks are on the northeast edge of the pillar. At 1.35 metres northeast from the ogham stone there's a nice bullaun stone. At 12 metres south (180°) from the ogham stone are the sorry remains of a church, with just the perimetral walls which are not higher than 50 centimetres. The building is 10 metres long and 5 metres wide, perfectly aligned east-west and with an entrance in the south wall. The remains of the church and the ogham stone are enclosed in a rectangular enclosure that includes some very old burials as well.
|