Saturday 4 February 2023

The Headache Stone and Saint Hugh's Well, Rahugh, Westmeath

The Headache Stone

Sometimes things happen for a reason. I had recently been cycling around checking out a few antiquities when a fellow cyclist became aware of my interest and sent me details of the intriguing Headache Stone in County Westmeath.

Several years ago I had been cycling through Rhode in County Offaly when a driver pulled in and asked me did I know of a Holy Well and Saint Stone said to cure headaches and migraines.

He told me his father, who was in the passenger seat, wasn't well and said they were driving around in hope of finding the Well and Stone.

Sadly I was disappointed to be unable to offer help or directions because at the time I didn't even know of its existence.

And so it seems that several years later fate has intervened in an unlikely manner and I finally got the opportunity to go and visit the Headache Stone and Saint Hugh's Well.

Located in Rahugh, the Irish name for which is Ráth Aodha (Áed) the Saint Stone is well worth taking the time to visit.

Áed, Aodh or Aodha is occasionally translated into English as the boys name Hugh so this is presumably the origins for the naming of the Saint Stone and Holy Well.

Although the title of the post references just the Headache Stone there are other antiquities of interest here at Rahugh.

Roughly 250 metres east south east of the Saint Stone is the aforementioned Saint Hugh's Well.

Its waters are remarkably clear, so clear in fact that I could see to the very bottom of the Well.

Here I found a scattering of personal and devotional offerings and some prayers for intercession from the Saint.

While unashamedly secular I still find these places quite spiritual, tranquil and even somewhat inspirational.

Simple everyday objects left at the Cross above the Well such as shoes, keys, cigarette lighters, watches and small coins lend a certain poignancy to the Holy Well of Saint Hugh.

A prayer on paper pressed into a small gap between the rocks of the Well and a laminated intercessory appeal on the ground added to the sense that this was and still is a place of great importance, dignity and ritual.

A reminder of an all to often forgotten and overlooked past in our headlong rush to modernity.

At Rahugh the landowner is preserving these historic monuments to tradition.

We spoke at length and access to the site is encouraged however apparently there has been an occasional visitor bringing a dog onto the farm.

Common sense dictates that a dog, neither leashed nor unleashed be brought on to someone else's property, especially not when livestock are present.

The Headache Stone itself as it turns out is actually a very large early Christian Cross Inscribed Stone.

The carvings of the Cross are difficult to make out as the Stone lies partially buried under a hedgerow and is covered with moss and lichen.

Below is a sketch of the Headache Stone circa 1896 by the Reverend G.T. Stokes which shows in greater detail the carved Cross slab.

At birth Saint Hugh, in Irish Saint Áed Mac Bricc, is reputed to have banged his head on the Stone after which a central depression was formed from the impression of his head.

The Headache Stone has therefor also at times been called Saint Hugh's Birthstone.

While difficult to make out in the pictures there are two depressions to be seen on the Stone.

A larger central depression and a smaller depression just off to the right of this.

They were probably originally an integral part of the carved Cross but may have been hollowed out a little deeper at a later time.

Somewhat hard to see in my photographs they are easier to distinguish at the site itself while looking directly at the Stone.

It is reputed that should a visitor place their head in the central depression while placing their right elbow in the smaller depression to the side they will be cured of Headaches or ailments afflicting the head.

The gentleman who farms here also informed me that should you place your head onto the Stone and you don't have any ailment of the head then a bad fate may await you.

Basically don't use the Headache Stone unless your suffering with head problems.

I'm not 100% sure what sort of bad fates await but there was mention of people dying within 12 months. I'm not particularly superstitious but it seems best to follow that simple advice.

Easily seen as you approach the Saint Stone is the enclosing boundary wall of a graveyard described as "post medieval". I'm guessing it dates to the middle of the 1700's.

Located within the graveyard but heavily overgrown with vegetation is the remains of an earlier medieval Church.

Predating both the Wall and Church would have been the preexisting 6th Century Monastery founded by Saint Áed (Hugh) of which no visible trace remains.

There is ample signage on a field gateway indicating Saint Hugh's Well and Headache Stone but I had missed it many times previously as I had flown past with my head down on the bike so it may be easily missed if you're not watching out for it.