Turas Glen Cholm Cille
Turas Cholm Cille is performed in Gleann Cholm Cille on June 9th, the anniversary of the saint’s death in 597 AD. The penitential pilgrimate is 4.8km (3 miles) long and takes about three hours to complete. The first pilgrim group perform the turas at midnight on June 9th, while others do it during daylight hours. It can also be performed on any Sunday from June 9th to August 15th.
An Turas traditionally started from the station closest to where one lived, but in more recent years, it is common practice to begin at the megalithic tomb to the west of St. Colummba’s Church of Ireland.
Turas Cholm Cille - Stad 1
Stad 1 (Gailge)—Tosaítear ar an Turas laosmuigh de bhalla na hEaglaise ag an ‘Altóir’ taobh thiar de theampall Eaglais na hÉireann. Síltear gurb é atá sa leacht anseo tuama meigil-isteach ar féidir dáta roimh 2200 BC a la leis; dhéantaí feidhm de fosta mar charraig aifrinn igcaitheamh ré na bpéindithe (C1750)
Station 1 (English)… The Turas starts at the ‘Altar’ in the townland of An tSráid and in the field adjacent to the west wal of the Church of Ireland. The pilgrim can get to the station by entering the field from the main road. The alter’s stone slab is probably a megalithic tomb pre 2200BC; it was also used a a mass-rock during penal times (C.1650-1750). Prayers recited include in Our Father, five Hail Mary’s and the Gloria.
Turas 1 is located at a national monument (DG080-013001-) The monument, a Megalithic tomb, lies just west of Glencolumbkille church and graveyard. It stands on a slight ridge in low-lying, level pasture 600m east of the inner end of Glen Bay and c. 150m north of the Murlin River.
The monument is considerably ruined. Three structural stones, two to the north and one to the south, can reliably be identified. These stand at opposite ends of a long, grass-grown mound of irregular outline measuring 12m NE-SW by 8m NW-SE by 1.75m high. The status of some other set stones is less certain, and these, along with prostrate stones, are not hatched on the plan. A stone-built field wall runs N-S across the top of the mound ('Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume VI, County Donegal.' Compiled by: Eamon Cody (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002).