The Boheh Stone (also called St. Patrick’s Chair) is considered one of the finest examples of Neolithic rock art in Ireland and “the second most lavishly decorated open air rock art site of Ireland” (Van Hoek). The large stone is covered in many cup-and-ring marks and keyhole motifs, with about 250 petroglyphs in total. It is now a state-owned National Monument in the care of the Office of Public Works.
Many concentric circles are etched into the sloping faces of the Boheh Stone and over the flat top of the stone, which are believed to have been carved as early as 3800 BC.
What makes this rock art site even more intriguing are it’s celestial and solar connections…
Constellations of Crux and Centaurus?
Rónán Lynch in his 2023 book and exhibition Three Stones: The Cross and the Circle suggested that the engravings on the top stone appear to represent the constellations of Crux (the Southern Cross) and Centaurus, which were last visible from Ireland around 4,100 BC.
Rolling sun
The “rolling sun” phenomenon was rediscovered in 1989–92 by local historian Gerry Bracken, who observed that twice a year at the Summer and Winter solstices (18 April and 24 August) the sun can be seen from the Boheh Stone to set at the summit of Croagh Patrick and appears to roll down its northern shoulder. This may signify the beginning & end of the growing season.
What I did not expect to see, however, was that the sun, having set on the summit, then appears to roll down the right hand slope of the mountain in a quite spectacular display of pulsating light. This ‘roll’ lasted nearly twenty minutes, and left me dazed and exhilarated when I first saw it!
That was in 1991, and since then the spectacle has been seen by many observers. The big question is, of course, why these dates, and were they of significance to Stone Age people?
Together with the winter solstice, these dates divide the year in three equal parts, and I have suggested that the period April-August may have been formalised as the food-growing period for early farmers. There are many traditions right across Europe which connect both of these dates with agricultural festivities, and yes, in 1992 the lunar festival of Easter Saturday fell on 18th April!
Getting to the Boheh Stone
The Boheh Stone is located east-south-east of the summit of Croagh Patrick, which is visible from the site. The signposted entrance is along L58712 Boheh, where there is parking for a couple of cars.
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