Boheh Stone Rolling Sun Phenomenon and Heritage Talk

Twice a year, something genuinely extraordinary happens at a field near Westport. On 24 August, anyone who walks to the Boheh Stone at dusk will watch the setting sun appear to roll down the northern slope of Croagh Patrick in a slow, pulsating blaze of light. The effect lasts only a few minutes, but people travel from across Ireland to see it. The Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail has been marking the occasion with a guided evening for several years - combining a heritage talk with the walk to the stone, so you leave understanding what you just witnessed. It suits anyone with even a passing interest in Irish history, astronomy, or ancient sites.

What to expect

The evening begins at 7pm at Brackloon Community Centre, where a local historian talks through the significance of the stone and the phenomenon before the group walks out together. The Boheh Stone - also known as St Patrick’s Chair - sits about 6km south of Westport and is covered in more than 250 Neolithic cup-and-ring carvings, making it one of the finest pieces of megalithic rock art in Ireland. The carvings are thought to date from around 3800 BC.

The rolling sun effect was rediscovered by the late Gerry Bracken in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He established that on exactly two dates each year - 18 April and 24 August - the sun sets at the summit of Croagh Patrick as seen from this spot, and then appears to roll down the mountain’s right-hand shoulder rather than simply dropping below the horizon. Whether the Neolithic people who carved the stone understood this alignment and built it into their calendar is one of the genuinely open questions in Irish archaeology. The event includes refreshments. Dress for the outdoors and bring layers - even in August, the evening air in Mayo can turn quickly.

Getting there

Brackloon is a short drive south of Westport, following signs for the Boheh Stone from the R335. Westport itself is well connected: it is about 30 minutes from Castlebar and 50 minutes from Ballina by road. Bus Eireann runs regular services from Galway and Castlebar to Westport. From Westport town you will need a car or taxi for the final stretch to Brackloon, as there is no local bus route to the stone. Parking is available at the community centre.

While you’re in Westport

Westport is one of the most pleasant towns in the west of Ireland, with good restaurants along the Carrowbeg River and easy access to Clew Bay and the Great Western Greenway. The Boheh Stone is a good reason to arrive a day early and do the mountain or the bay the morning before. There is more to see in Westport and across Co. Mayo.

Good to know

• Date: Monday 24 August 2026
• Time: 7:00pm (meet at Brackloon Community Centre)
• Price: €5 per person, refreshments included
• Organiser: Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail - check cpht.ie for confirmation and any updates
• Weather: the phenomenon is weather-dependent; a clear or partly clear evening is needed for the best view
• What to wear: walking shoes and a warm layer; the walk from the centre to the stone is on uneven ground