St McCartan’s – The Clogh-Oir or Golden Stone

This stone is known as the Clogh-Oir or Golden Stone from which Clogher may have derived its name.

The Clogh-Oir was one of the three stones of Erin (the other two being the Stone of Destiny and the Crom Cruach) and was famous at an oracle at Clogher in pagan times.

There is a tradition that the Clogh-Oir was consulted by Concobar MacNessa, High King of Ulster. A 15th Century description is ‘Clogh-Oir, a stone round which was gold, which the heathen had worshipped and out of a devil used to speak.

Cermand Cestach was his name and it was the chief idol of the north, this is the short stone on thy right hand as thou enterest the temple of Clochar and the places of the joints of the gold and silver still remain on it’. It is uncertain if this is the original Clogh-Oir, some authorities consider that it may be the lintel from the door of an 8th or 9th Century Church.

The stone stands in the porch for safe keeping