Standing stone associated with the greatest hero in Irish folklore

Cúchulainn’s Stone (or Clochafarmore) stands 10 feet tall and may date to anytime between 1000 BC and 500 AD. The various stories of Cúchulainn and the other tales of the Ulster Cycle came from manuscripts dating from around the 12th century. According to legend, the mortally wounded Cúchulainn bound himself to this stone just before the moment of his death so he could stand tall and face his enemies. They did not dare approach him until the moment a raven landed upon his shoulder which was the signal that he was dead. This story provided a metaphor for the resolve of the Irish nation during the 19th century when Ireland was looking back in time for heroes to build a sense of nationalism. It is likely that this may have been invented as far back as the 5th century so as to provide Ireland with a mythological analog for the classical Achilles. The 1911 sculpture of ‘The Dying Cuchulain’ by Oliver Sheppard which shows the hero bound to this stone now occupies a prominent spot at the General Post Office in Dublin.