This feature, which didn’t appear on the first edition OS 6-inch maps, sits quietly in the landscape alongside two important religious sites: the holy well of Toberenny and a penitential station called Turasanree. Together, these three elements form part of an ancient pattern of worship that once drew pilgrims from across the region.

The altar’s connection to the Turas station provides an important clue to its original purpose. Rather than being a conventional altar, it’s likely the remains of a leacht, a type of stone monument commonly found at Irish pilgrimage sites. Leachts typically consist of small cairns or stone platforms where pilgrims would deposit votive offerings, often pebbles or coins, whilst performing their rounds of prayer. These structures served as focal points during the turas, or pilgrimage circuit, where the faithful would pause to pray at designated stations.

The presence of the holy well adds another layer to this sacred landscape. Wells like Toberenny were believed to possess healing properties and often formed the heart of local pilgrimage traditions. Pilgrims would typically visit the well, the leacht, and other stations in a prescribed order, reciting specific prayers at each stop. Though many of these practices have faded, the physical remnants at An Bearnas Íochtarach preserve the memory of a time when this quiet corner of Donegal hummed with the footsteps and prayers of devoted visitors.