The Boheh Stone (Irish: Cathaoir Phádraig, St Patrick’s Chair) is a prehistoric carved outcrop on a grassy rise south of Westport in County Mayo. Its surface is flecked with quartz, and it has held its markings through many thousands of Atlantic winters.
The carvings
The designs are mostly cup-and-ring motifs, small circular hollows ringed by one or more concentric circles, with a smaller number of distinctive keyhole shapes. The original purpose of the carvings is unknown, but they point to a site that was watched and worked over a very long stretch of prehistory. Leave the carvings untouched, and keep to the marked approach so that the outcrop stays in good condition for the next visitor.
The rolling sun
The stone’s best-known feature is a trick of alignment with Croagh Patrick, off to the north-west. Around 18 April and 24 August, in clear conditions, the sun sets behind the mountain, and from the stone the disc appears to roll down its side. The effect depends on the outcrop’s position, a fixed sightline, but it also depends on the weather, so it cannot be promised on any given evening.
Local historian Gerry Bracken identified the effect in the early 1990s after years of watching. The two dates fall either side of the growing season, and the alignment has been linked to it, which is part of why it is thought to be deliberate rather than chance. For more on the alignment and Mayo’s links to the night sky, see Mayo Dark Sky Park.
Pilgrimage and Christian legacy
The stone stands on the line of Tóchar Phádraig, the old pilgrim road towards Croagh Patrick, a route traditionally traced back to the western royal site of Rathcroghan in County Roscommon. When Christianity reached the area, the existing sacred spot was renamed Cathaoir Phádraig and folded into the pilgrimage, so the same quiet hillside holds both prehistoric astronomy and medieval devotion.
Visiting
Check Heritage Ireland’s site advice for the current access arrangements and follow the signs on the ground before you set out. The ground around the stone is uneven and sloping, so it is awkward for pushchairs or anyone with limited mobility. Do not assume there are any facilities, and do not park on verges or block the local road, so use only signed parking if it is provided. The site is fully exposed, so bring waterproof footwear and a windproof layer, particularly in autumn and winter.
Getting there
- By car: Westport is the nearest town. Check Heritage Ireland’s site advice for current access and parking before you travel, use only signed parking if it is provided and do not stop on the R335 itself.
- Public transport: Westport has bus services, but from there you will need a taxi or a guided walk that takes in the stone.
- On foot: the stone is associated with the Westport-to-Croagh Patrick pilgrim route, but check the current signs before relying on a walking route to it.
Nearby
Westport, a short drive away, has the accommodation, cafés and restaurants. Westport House and the Great Western Greenway fill out a day, and the pilgrim village of Aughagower, a few kilometres on, sits on the same Tóchar Phádraig route.
Time your visit for a clear evening in mid-April or late August to try for the rolling sun, or come on a bright morning when the quartz in the rock throws the carvings into relief and the view runs across to Croagh Patrick.