Kiltiernan / Kilternan

Described and illustrated in Wakeman (1891: 700 and pl. I-iii on p. [698]: "Lying half-imbedded in soil near the south-western angle, may be seen a baptismal font, probably one of the oldest remaining in Ireland. It is extremely rude in style, and but that the base is perforated, partakes largely of the mysterious bullàn [aka bullaun] character. The sketch here given [... cf. Images area below] is an exact representation of this very remarkable relic of ecclesiastical furniture, which is should be stated is perforated, and measures in internal diameter exactly twelve inches. The material is granite. This font seems to be utterly abandoned, and might easily be appropriated by any ignorant bodagh [in italics in the original] of the neighbourhood who was in want of a trough to contain food for dogs or other animals." [NB: Wakeman's reiteration of the fact that this stone vessel is perforated at the bottom indicates that he did think of it as a baptismal font, although it is quite possible that it may have been originally a bullaun -whatever the purpose of these objects were- appropriated for use as font at a later period]. The object is illustrated in Tom FourWinds web site [www.megalithomania.com], who warned BSI [e-mail of 3/3/2004] about accepting all bullaun as bona fide baptismal fonts, although, he adds, "some were clearly so [and] they form a valid part of your database" -- Wakeman certainly accepted the vessel at Kiltiernan/Kilternan as a baptismal font] [We are grateful to Tom FourWinds for his image of this object]