Kerdiffstown Park

The Stones of the Hollow Hill

Situated across the park is a series of 18 carved stones that tell a story of the local landscape and mythology – The Stones of the Hollow Hill. The carvings on the stones tell a story that draws on Irish mythology, the folklore of the surrounding landscape and the recent history of Kerdiffstown landfill.

The tale involves two heroic figures named Brigid and Fionn who set out on an epic quest to recover a stolen fire. The character of Brigid references traditions connected to both Brigid the goddess of pre-Christian Ireland and Saint Brigid. The character of Fionn draws on the stories of Fionn Mac Cumhaill, the great warrior of Irish mythology who is said to have lived nearby on the Hill of Allen.

The carvings tell of Brigid and Fionn’s journey through a landscape punctuated by several hills that each have their own rich mythological connections. Some of these are visible from the park. The story imagines the hill of Kerdiffstown Park, ‘the Hollow Hill’ as a sídhe – a mysterious subterranean Otherworld that is home to Kerdiff the Giant. Visitors following the Kerdiffstown Park Art Trail will meet the final 3 stones at the Park’s highest point, where they can enjoy a 360 view of the surrounding area.

These final 3 stones are aligned so that on the morning of St. Brigid’s day (1st February) the sun shines through one of the stones at sunrise to land on the central stone. At sunset, the same thing happens with the stone sitting on the opposite side of the central stone.

The project was commissioned under the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage Per Cent for Art scheme, with additional funding from Kildare County Council for the Kerdiffstown Landfill Remediation Project.

Meet the Artist

The Art Trail at Kerdiffstown Park was commissioned under the Per Cent for Arts Scheme, with additional funding from Kildare County Council for the Kerdiffstown Landfill Remediation Project.

The mythical trail has been created by James Winnett who is an artist, stone carver and workshop leader interested in the crossovers between sculpture, archaeology, folklore, place and memory. He carved the 18 sandstone blocks over the period of a year before they were delivered to the site and installed in November 2022. The style of the carvings draws in part on the designs of the medieval high crosses, such as those at Moone, Old Kilcullen and Castledermot along with other carved stones in Johnstown and Kildare.

Reflecting on the project James said: “It’s been a fascinating project to be a part of and I’m intrigued to see how people will respond to and interpret the artworks over time. I’ve always been interested in the way stories reside in a landscape and in the role that carved stones can play in promoting moments of curiosity and connection. I hope that the work will enrich people’s experience of the park while encouraging repeat visits to see how different the carvings appear throughout the year. At its heart the work is about the enduring power that stories have to transform our understanding of the land we walk on. I hope that in a small way the Stones of the Hollow Hill will add to this tradition.”