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The environs of Lough Gartan are one of the supreme beauties of Ireland. St Columba was born into a royal family here in 521; his father was from the house of Niall of the Nine Hostages and his mother belonged to the House of Leinster. If you walk over from Glenveagh you'll pass his birthplace - take the first road right at the first house you see at the end of the mountain track, and you'll come to a colossal cross marking the spot; the site is also signposted by road. Close by is a slab locally known as the Flagstone of Loneliness , on which Columba used to sleep, thereby endowing the stone with the miraculous power to cure the sorrows of those who also lie upon it, though nowadays it's bestrewn with copper coins. During times of mass emigration, people used to come here the night before departure in the hope of ridding themselves of homesickness. Archeologically, it's actually part of a Bronze Age gallery tomb and has over fifty cup marks cut into its surface. Going back to the track leading downhill will bring you to a main country road, where a left turn leads to the remains of a church known as the Little Oratory of St Colmcille . It's an enchanting ruin, no larger than a modern living room, with a floor of old stone slabs with grass growing up through the cracks. A holy well is here too and nearby the Natal Stone, where the baby Columba first opened his eyes; to this day pregnant women visit the slab to pray for a safe delivery.
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