School: Acontagh, Tullamore
- Location:
- Acantha, Co. Offaly
- Teacher: Muriel Rogan
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- The patron saint connected with the district is St Columcille. There is a ruined church in the district which was supposed to have been built by the Saint. He founded a monastery where the present Abbey stands. There is a huge stone in the grounds of the Abbey called the "backache" stone. This stone is supposed to have been carried by St Columba from Rahan. He got tired and laid it down before he reached the monastery. The mark of a man's shoulders are on the stone - believed to be those of the Saint. People put their back up against it as a cure for "back-ache".St Columba spent his time teaching the people about God. In his monastery the monks spent their time copying. The Book of Durrow which is now in Trinity College library is a copy of the Four Gospels and was written by the monks in the Monastery of Durrow.This book was lost when the Monastery was sacked and burned by Hugh De Lacy(continues on next page)