Croagh Patrick, the Boheh Stone and the rolling sun

‘Rolling Sun’ on Croagh Patrick

CROSSMOLINA TV Production company GMTV will be featuring the “Rolling Sun” from Westport this Sunday, August 20 on Nationwide RTE.

The "rolling sun" on Croagh Patrick. Photo: www.carrowmore.com

The team from GMTV have been trying to capture the spectacular scene on Croagh Patrick for the past three years. Finally this year it was a success for them. The feature will contain their previous attempts at documenting the ‘Rolling Sun”.

For centuries Croagh Patrick has been a very spiritual site for people around the world, but locals have been bafled by a mysterious rock to the east of the site.

The rock, which is know locally as St. Patrick's Chair, contains etching, dating back to the Bronze Age. While these sketching further intensified the mysteriousness of the rock, the local Westport Historical Society finally uncovered the mystery. Following a yearlong case study they identified that on April 18th and August 24th, the sun sets on the summit of sacred Croagh Patrick, and instead of passing behind it slides down the side of the mountain hense the “rolling sun’. In doing so it give the wonderful impression of the Sun Rolling down the mountain, a sight not to be missed.

While theories of a solstice have been dismissed, it is thought that the dates signified the beginning and end of ‘ the growing season . A small group of people gather to see the natural phenomenon take place at both occasions in the year.

The Sun is to roll again on Thursday, August 24 and can be viewed in the Townland of Bohea outside of Westport, RTE Nationwide Sunday, August 20 at 7pm.

Article published in the Western People newspaper

Read Gerry Bracken's article about the "rolling sun" spectacle

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