New documentary tells incredible story of Waterford stone lifter David Keohan

A new RTÉ documentary follows Waterford local David Keohan, also known as 'Indiana Stones', who is reviving the ancient Irish tradition of stone lifting.

The ancient tradition of stone lifting spans back many centuries.

The incredible feat of strength and balance has historically held cultural meaning and was used as a rite of passage at events such as weddings and funerals.

Across the generations however, the practice would begin to die out, with the Great Famine and British colonisation exacerbating the gradual decline.

In the centuries since, ancient lifting stones would remain motionless across the country, on mountainsides and in fields.

David Keohan, however has been making significant strides in reviving the practice for a whole new generation.

 David hails from Waterford City, and is the son of Davy Keohan, well-known former car salesman at Tom Murphy's and George Corbett Motors.

When he was 31, David made the decision to focus more on his physical and mental health.

He first began running, eventually building his body to the point where he successfully completed a marathon.

From there, David began kettlebell training and participating in competitions, acquiring a kettlebell lifting world record.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, David like many others lost access to his local gym, and subsequently began training at home.

He started lifting a large stone weighing 61 kilos as a way to stay active.

From there, he began his first research of the ancient stone lifting traditions. 

He fell in love with the process of searching for and lifting stones across the country and is now helping to spark a culture around this forgotten practice.

The documentary, ‘Made of Stone’ is available on the RTÉ player.