Killycluggin Stone facts for kids
The Killycluggin Stone is a very old stone with special carvings. It was found near the town of Killycluggin in County Cavan, Ireland. This stone is shaped like a cone and is covered with designs from the La Tène culture, which was part of the Iron Age. When it was found, the stone was broken into several pieces. It was partly buried near a very old stone circle from the Bronze Age. The Killycluggin Stone probably stood inside this circle a long time ago. Today, you can see the original stone at the Cavan County Museum. A copy of the stone stands near the road, about 300 meters from where the real one was found.
Even though the stone is now broken, experts can put the pieces together in their minds. This helps them understand what it looked like when it was new. The stone was at least 6 feet (about 1.8 meters) tall. At its bottom, it had four flat sections joined together. Each section was about 90 centimeters wide. This means the whole stone was about 3.6 meters around when it was first carved. Each of these flat sections was about 75 centimeters high.
Where Was the Stone Found?
The Killycluggin Stone was discovered in 1921. It was found in a place called Killycluggin in County Cavan. This area has many connections to Saint Patrick, a very important figure in Irish history. Close by, there is a place called Tobar Padraig, which means "St. Patrick's Well." There is also Kilnavert Church, which people say Saint Patrick himself started. The town of Kilnavert used to have a different name. It was called Fossa Slécht or Rath Slécht. This old name is where the larger area, Magh Slécht, got its name.
The Stone and Ancient Stories
In the 14th century, a book called the Book of McGovern was written in the Magh Slécht area. This book has a poem that talks about a stone called Crom. The poem says that Crom was located at Kilnavert, right beside the road. It also says that local women used to shake with fear when they walked past it. Even today, many people in the area believe that the Killycluggin Stone is this ancient Crom stone.
