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Liag Na Manach - an Interesting Cemetery
By Noel O'Neill
Mar 8, 2004, 00:15

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Liag Na Manach

Liag Na Manach at Leigue Cemetery.

A cross-inscribed granite boulder known as Liag Na Manach (The Rock of the Monks) is situated on a hill in the South-West quadrant of Leigue Cemetery near Ballina. It has an inscribed cross and four pockmarks incised inside two concentric circles on the west facing side of the rock outcrop.

Giolla Iosa Mor Mac Firbis, writing in the early 15th century, referred to this monument in the Dinnseanachus, a section of the Great Book Of Lecan which deals with the history of place names.

The origin of Liag Na Manach is ascribed to the Early Christian period, when St. Patrick, according to legend, was responsible for “raising the symbol of our Saviour” at this spot.

Other interesting features in this cemetery includes an ancient church with trabeate doorway, and the unmarked grave of Barney Moran, born near Castlebar, who “confessed” to have been the executioner of Robert Emmet, but this story is suspect. Barney made his revelation to two businessmen while he lay dying in the local workhouse, putting them on oath that they would not reveal the secret until after his death.

The resting place of hunger-strikers Frank Stagg and Michael Gaughan are in this same graveyard.

 


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