When the sun rolls down Croagh Patrick

Tweet

Our younger son lives in Co. Mayo, Ireland and turns 50 on August 24. This is a significant date in his area as it is one of two days when the ‘sun rolls down Croagh Patrick’. This pyramid-mountain dominates the Boheh Rock, creates it own weather system and is often cloud-covered. The sun sets over Croagh Patrick every evening of course but twice a year, on 18 April and 24 August, the sun appears to roll down the western edge of the north face of the mountain; the passage of the sun following the inclination of the mountain. The two dates when this occurs, together with the winter solstice, divides the year into three more or less equal parts, and may correspond to sowing and reaping cycles. You can watch a time lapse video via the link. No wonder ancient civilisations were in awe of some of these phenomena. The photo is of a West Australian sunset.