Clochafarmore
{{short description|Standing stone in County Louth, Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use Irish English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox ancient site
| name =Clochafarmore
| native_name = Cloch an Fhir Mhóir
| native_name_lang =ga
| alternate_name = Cúchulainn's Stone
| image =Cloghafarmor.jpg
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| caption = Clochafarmore pictured at night
| map =
| map_type = Ireland
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| coordinates = {{coord|53.974505|-6.465919|display=inline,title}}
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| location = Rathiddy, Knockbridge, Dundalk,
County Louth, Ireland
| region =
| type = Standing stone
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| circumference = 4 m (13 ft)
| height = 3 m (10 ft)
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| material = stone
| abandoned =
| epochs = Bronze Age
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| public_access = yes
| other_designation = {{Infobox designation list
| designation1 =National Monument of Ireland
| designation1_number = 474
| designation1_offname = Clochafarmore
}}
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Clochafarmore ({{Irish place name|Cloch an Fhir Mhóir}}, meaning "stone of the great man"){{Cite web |title=Cloch an Fhir Mhóir/Cloghafarmore |url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/126052 |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=logainm.ie |language=en}} is a menhir (standing stone) and National Monument in County Louth, Ireland.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SL8XAQAAMAAJ&q=Clochafarmore|title=Ireland's Ancient Stones: Megalithic Ireland Explored|first=Kenneth|last=McNally|date=1 January 2006|publisher=Appletree|isbn=9780862819965|via=Google Books}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1VNiCAAAQBAJ&q=Clochafarmore&pg=PT92|title=Old Ways, Old Secrets: Pagan Ireland: Myth * Landscape * Tradition|first=Jo|last=Kerrigan|date=2 June 2015|publisher=The O'Brien Press|isbn=9781847177544|via=Google Books}}{{cite web|url=http://www.irishidentity.com/stories/cuchulainn.htm|title=The death-place of an Irish hero|publisher=}}
Location
Clochafarmore is located {{Convert|1.4|km|abbr=on}} east-northeast of Knockbridge, Dundalk on the left bank of the River Fane.
History and legend
File:Cuchulainn's death, illustration by Stephen Reid 1904.jpg's death, illustration by Stephen Reid (1904).]]
The standing stone, 3 metres high, was erected at an unknown point in the distant past, believed to be during the Bronze Age.
This standing stone is traditionally associated with the death of the legendary hero Cúchulainn. Lugaid mac Con Roí has three magical spears made, and it is prophesied that a king will fall by each of them. With the first he kills Cú Chulainn's charioteer Láeg; with the second he kills Cú Chulainn's horse, Liath Macha; with the third he hits Cú Chulainn, mortally wounding him. Cú Chulainn ties himself to a standing stone — traditionally Clochafarmore ("Stone of the Big Man"), which had been erected to mark the grave of a past great warrior.{{cite web|url=http://www.voicesfromthedawn.com/clochafarmore-stone/|title=Clochafarmore Standing Stone - Voices from the Dawn|publisher=}}
Cú Chulainn continues to fight his enemies, and it is only when a raven (the traditional form of The Morrígan) lands on his shoulder that his enemies believe he is dead.{{cite book |last=Meehan |first=Cary |date=2004 |title=Sacred Ireland |url= |location=Somerset |publisher=Gothic Image Publications |page=302|isbn=0 906362 43 1 |access-date=}} Lugaid approaches and beheads him, but as he does so the "hero-light" burns around Cú Chulainn and his sword falls from his hand and cuts Lugaid's hand off. The light disappears only after his right hand is cut off.
The region is known as An Breisleach Mór, "The Great Carnage", while the field in which this stone stands is called the Field of Slaughter. In the 1920s a bronze spearhead was found in the field, perhaps showing it to be a genuine ancient battle-site.{{cite web|url=http://www.megalithicireland.com/Clochafarmore.htm|title=Cuchulainns stone|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://curiousireland.ie/cuchulainn-stone-or-clochafarmore-knockbridge-co-louth/|title=Cúchulainn's Stone (Clochafarmore), Knockbridge. co.Louth 500 b.c > 500 a.d|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.discoverireland.ie/Arts-Culture-Heritage/cuchulainn-s-stone/74644|title=Cúchulainn's Stone - Attractions - Museums and Attractions - All Ireland - Republic of Ireland - Louth - Knockbridge - Discover Ireland|first=|last=|publisher=|access-date=19 September 2016|archive-date=9 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009074836/https://www.discoverireland.ie/Arts-Culture-Heritage/cuchulainn-s-stone/74644|url-status=dead}}
References
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External links
- [https://www.visitlouth.ie/explore-and-do/explore-louth/ancient-sites-louth/cuchulainns-stone.html Access details] on visitlouth.ie
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