Clogh-oir, the golden stone

Clogh-oir, the golden stone

Lough Derg--Pilgrimage--Magazine--Narrative

An account of Lough Derg from a late-nineteenth-century pilgrim.

Matthew Russell, 1834-1912

'Lough Derg: By a Recent Pilgrim', The Irish Monthly: A Magazine of General Literature Sixth Yearly Volume, p. 24

M.H. Gill & Son, Dublin

1878

Sponsored and digitised by Google, Princeton University Library

Public domain

Article

English

Magazine Article

DD_0436

54.608913,-7.870977

https://archive.org/details/irishmonthlyvol01unkngoog/page/n5

"The ‘station’ begins at ‘St. Patrick's Bed,’ in the centre of which there is an upright circular stone-shaft, about four feet high, and eight inches in diameter, with spiral flutings and a plain iron cross fixed on the top. This stone-shaft is said to be the genuine ‘clogh-oir,’ or golden-stone, from which the diocese of Clogher has derived its name. It was originally a pagan idol, and, like Apollo Pythius, seems to have delivered oracular responses, until it was exorcised and blessed by our Apostle. Two circular iron bands, nearly eaten away by rust, lend some colour to the idea that this stone was originally covered with metal plates, which were secured by these iron clamps. This seems to be the only ancient relic in Station Island. There are four inscribed stones in the south wall of the Prison Chapel ; two of them were head- stones over the graves of Friar Doherty and Friar M'Grath, whose names are written in English characters of the last century. The third stone contains the names of four of the saints (the remaining names are now undecipherable) to whom the “beds" are dedicated ; but they are written in characters by no means archaic."

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