What is recorded here

St. Broghans Stone is a broken limestone boulder south-west of Clonsast Church in County Offaly, bearing a shallow basin traditionally identified as the impression of the saints head. People once pressed their own heads into that hollow, believing the stone could draw out a stubborn headache. The cairn that marked it has vanished, leaving only the damaged rock in a field corner where the sacred and the ordinary still collide.

Large limestone boulder now broken across the area of the basin (D 0.15m,diam. 0.25m) and situated in corner of field SW of church (OF027-008002-). Cairn (OF027-008003-) marked beside it does not now exist and maybe the same as one that is marked on the first edition of the OS 6-inch map to the W. Originally located to the SE of Clonsast Church (OF027-008002-) as marked on OS 6-inch map but now located to SW of the church where a destroyed cairn (OF027-009003-) was located. Large limestone boulder now broken across the area of the basin (D 0.15m; diam 0.25m) which according to Comerford (1883, 124-5) was formed by the impression of the saints head and which was resorted to for the purpose of the cure of a head-ache. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 23 May 2011

St. Broghans Stone is likely associated with the early Christian period, possibly erected as a holy or ritual site linked to Saint Broghan. The broken basin-like feature may have been used for ceremonial or practical purposes, and the former cairn suggests it was once a more prominent religious or memorial monument.

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