Struggling to afford food and shelter, Donal Kavanaugh was drawn to the treasures of the Gypsy wagons. When Donal stole the jewellery box, he sorted the rags from riches and discarded the unimpressive hag stone on a simple black string, unaware of its sacred ties.

​

The humble grey stone, with a hole carved out by water was a protective object that belonged to Leonora Boswell who had put her own curse on the stone to ensure that it would never be in anyone else’s possession.

​

When Donal awoke in the morning, curled up in an alley, the hag stone was nestled under his coat. Upon picking up the stone, his hand began to harden and crack, before his fingers slowly crumbled away. Leaving the rock to fall on the floor, Donal fled in a panic.

​

Over the next week, the rest of his body would continue to calcify and everywhere he went the hag stone would find him. The last time he saw the stone, it was suspended around the neck of a young girl. When their eyes met, he felt a dull pain, as his eyes slowly turned to stone from her petrifying gaze.

​

The stone statue of Mr Kavanaugh stands in a desolated town square, carved with the phrase, Lad siúd a ghoid an chloch, cas ar chloch – those who steal the stone, turn to stone.

​

Over years the statue has crumbled and eroded away, but amongst the rubble lies a hag stone waiting to be taken.