In 1885 and 1886, a researcher named Kinahan documented a bullaun stone; a basin carved directly into the solid bedrock. These hollowed depressions, typically found at early Christian sites across Ireland, were often used for grinding grain or holding holy water, though their exact purpose remains a subject of scholarly debate.

Unfortunately, when modern archaeologists revisited the site during the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, no trace of this bullaun could be found. The feature would have been situated amongst an area of rough, rocky terrain, making its disappearance all the more intriguing. Whether it was destroyed, buried, or simply misidentified in the original Victorian survey remains unknown.

This lost bullaun represents one of many archaeological mysteries scattered across Donegal’s landscape. The county’s field antiquities span an impressive timeline, from Mesolithic hunter-gatherer camps to 17th-century fortifications, each telling part of Ireland’s complex story. While Kinahan’s bullaun may have vanished from the physical landscape, its documentation serves as a reminder of how archaeological sites can be lost to time, development, or natural processes, making early recording efforts invaluable to our understanding of Ireland’s past.