Near the great mountain of Croagh-Patrick there is a lake called
_Clonvencagh_, or the Lake of Revenge, to which evil-disposed persons
used to resort in order to imprecate maledictions on their enemies. It
was the custom also to erect monuments round the well by placing on
end a long flagstone, and heaping round it a pyramid of sand in order
to keep it fixed firmly in its place. Over these pillar-stones certain
mystic rites were then performed by the pilgrims, and prayers were said
which took the form of the most terrible imprecations. It was therefore
with awe and terror that one man said of another, “He has been cursed
by the stone.”