10 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academf/. 



for the number of raths in the surrounding county is very great, and 

 the number of souterrains somewhat exceptional. But I do not think 

 from an examination of the rubbing, and the Ordnance map, that the 

 stone supports the Bishop's theory. 



A peculiar feature of the ornament consists in the groups on the 

 top left-hand corner, not unlike the tentacles and cupules of a cuttle- 

 fish. The dumb-bell-shaped ornament is found on other stones, but 

 the truncheon-shaped figures on the riglit below are, I think, excep- 

 tional. The circles and cup-markings bear a strong resemblance to- 

 those on the Mevagfi inscribed stones, County Donegal, illustrated by 

 Mr. Kinahan in vol. xviii. of the "Royal Society of Antiquaries 

 Journal." In considering the various theories and suggestions made 

 in connexion with these rude cuttings, it is much more easy to say 

 what the Gortboy stone is not, than to say what it is. A glance will 

 prove that it shows a certain amount of intention and design ; but it 

 cannot be said to fit any particular theory. It will have its place, 

 however, in the already well-filled list of stones that Ireland possesses, 

 containing the many varied forms of rude prehistoric ornament. It 

 is well to mention in connexion with the stone that about a quarter 

 of a mile immediately to the north is a fine rath, with double rampart 

 built of stone and earth. The inside measurement is 120 feet from 

 north to south, and the inner rampart is 10 feet thick in places. The 

 width of the trench is about 16 feet, and the outer rampart varies in 

 height from 3 feet to 6 feet. In the centre is a small circular 

 enclosure of stone much defaced, 20 feet in diameter, from which a 

 low rampart runs to the east nearly across the rath. Time did not 

 permit me to test if a souterrain existed. 



KiLCLOGHERANE BuLLANS (0. S. 58).— At Kilclogheraue, up an 

 old by-road, off the main road from Aghadoe to Milltown, two miles 

 from the latter, is a spot still frequented as a place of pilgrimage. 

 On the left-hand side, about a quarter of a mile up, is a bullan stone 

 set in a hole in the ditch, about breast-high, an unusual place in my 

 experience. A number of bottles, a dozen or so, small and medium 

 size, lay about the stone. Immediately, and off the left side of the 

 bohreen, is an old hawthorn- tree, surrounded by bushes, brambles, and 

 ferns, growing in wild and luxuriant confusion, and through which a 

 tangled pathway runs. There is no trace of any building or ruin of 

 any old church here or in the immediate vicinity; but here the 

 pilgrims say their rounds, and tie bits of rags on the hawthorn-tree and 

 bushes. It is a curious, old-world, out-of-the-way spot, and I could 

 find no cause why it was frequented. Another bullan stone, the 



