Circles Within Circles

“The pilgrim circles the cairn three times, praying, and then, placing his back to the stone, makes a declaration renouncing the World, the Flesh, and the Devil.”

Turas are common in Ireland, taking placed every year. In Gleanncholmcille the Turas takes place on the 9 August, and on Croagh Patrick on the last Saturday of July. People, however, can undertake them any time they wish. A Tura is a set walk, or pilgrimage, called in Irish ‘an Turas’, literally ‘the Journey’.

The Gleann Cholm Cille Turas - Virtual Turas

http://www.voicesfromthedawn.com/?p=221

The village of Glencolmcille and the surrounding area is famous for the Turas, a pilgrimage and round of stations (places on a route used for prayer and devotion). The Turas occurs on the 9th June each year which is the feast day of St. Colmcille, and is approximately three miles long. It takes around three hours to complete the Turas. Historically the Turas was performed by barefoot pilgrims at midnight on the eve of June the 9th.

The stations consist of megalithic tombs, natural landscape features and cross pillars. You can see below some examples of what you will find as you journey.

Turas 1 is said to be where St Colmcille started the Turas or Station. The altar is west of the Church of Ireland.

At each Station and cairn pilgrims kneel and pray after performing the Station.

Turas 2 - is located approximately 100 yards west of the Churchyard.

Turas 3 - is a station marked by a cairn. Called Ait na nGlún (Place of the Knees) it is a cavity in the ground about 3 yards west of the Cairn.

Turas 4 - is located in Beefan - called Mullagh na Croise or Height of the Cross.

Turas 5 - St Colmcille's Chapel is situated here, along with 3 cross pillars standing on cairns.

Turas 6 - Colmcille's Chair. This is said to be the spot where Colmcille rested and looked down on the valley below him.

Turas 7 - Colmcille's Well is found set into a recess in the east side of a long rectangular cairn.

Turas 8 - Garrrai an Turais or the Pilgrimage Field.

Turas 9 - Cloch an Aonaigh or the Stone of the Gathering - 3/4 mile to thte south-east on the roadside is a holed cross-pillar on a cairn.

Turas 10 - By the roadside in Faugher is a cairn on which stands a weathered cross stone.

Turas 11 - nearby to the north in Drimroe is a cross pillar standing on a cairn. This is also known as Baile na mDeamhan or place of the Devils. Legend has it that the demons confronted St Colmcille here.

Turas 12 - on the opposite side of the road stands a cross pillar in a circular enclosure.

Turas 13 - Located near the Garda Station in the townland of Gannew.

Turas 14 - A slender pillar like slab orientated north east, on a rocky outcrop south of the Murlin River.

Turas 15 - the last station facing north to the Church of Irleand graveyard.

The Folk Village and Lace House have information and maps available relating to completing the Turas pilgrimage