The Bull's Track ancient stone at Ballymacnab

Image: © Sean Davis Taken: 3 May 2020

"The Bull's Track" or "The Bull's Stone", as it's referred to is an ancient stone on a small grassy area at the junction of Newtownhamilton Road and Ballymacnab Road. It is near to St Patrick's Church and has connections to the Saint Patrick. According to legend the stone has been here for millennia, but in the mid 5th Century when attempting to build a church on Armaghbreague, St Patrick kept being hindered by the bull. After many attempts to build the church, St Patrick got so annoyed he cast the bull 2 miles to this point where the bull's hoof hit the stone and was imprinted on it. St Patrick went on to build his church at nearby Armagh City on the same spot we have the older of Armagh's two cathedrals today. I remember the stone as a child, it was larger then, but over the years parts of it have been broken off and stolen. From the photo you can still make out the bull's hoof imprint. To read more see https://thejournalofantiquities.com/2014/02/24/the-bulls-stone-ballymacnab-co-armagh-northern-ireland To view a monument next to the stone and the local church see https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6462133

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