HELENA Hennessy Ruane will be well known by many in showing and hunting circles.

She can regularly be seen out hunting side saddle with the North Kilkenny Foxhounds and last year her own Cloneyhea Clancy finished second in the Ladies Side Saddle class at the Dublin Horse Show.

But what many might not know is that Helena is a healer. She’s not a doctor or a vet but she claims to have a gift which allows her to heal animals and people alike. This gift comes in the form of a ring which was handed down to Helena from her late mother Helen.

When I asked Helena to explain how her gift works, she began by saying: “My mum was a nurse, but I remember growing up that she used to do this thing with her ring that helped heal people. Though she only used her gift on family and friends.

“They would come to her and she would never ask what was wrong, she would just take off her ring and put it on a length of string. Holding the string in her right hand, with the ring hanging down, she would then place her left hand on the person.

“She was able to detect what area of the body was causing that person trouble because as she moved her left hand over the body the ring would start to swing.

“She would then offer that person healing, focusing on the area of concern and eventually the ring would stop swinging and the person would be healed.

“I can’t explain how it works, but it does,” Helena stated with conviction.

A SHOCK DISCOVERY

Helena ran a local gift shop for 17 years, but three years ago when she was in the shop alone one day she took off her mother’s ring put it on a chain, held it in her right hand and asked the ring if she too was able to heal people. The ring began to swing.

Spooked, Helena kept the incident to herself until one day, her father was complaining of pain in his hip and she asked if she could try to use her mother’s ring to help heal him.

Helena followed her mother’s method and when she placed her left hand on her father’s side, with the ring dangling from her right, it began to swing. This continued for a number of minutes and then stopped.

The next morning her father woke up and the pain had miraculously vanished.

GIFT

Helena was slow to share her gift with others, but three years after she helped heal her father she has leased out her gift shop and set up a healing practice in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny.

People travel from all over the country for healing, while Helena treats animals at her own yard in Castlecomer.

Helena is also regularly out on the road visiting people, horses and various other animals in the comfort of their own homes.

Of course, Helena admits that there are some limitations to what she can do. “I’m not God, but the healing does work really well on muscles and joints,” states Helena.

“I can also ask the ring specific questions and get a yes or no answer based on whether the ring starts to move.

“I can’t explain how it works but I’ve really grown in confidence and I know what I can do.”

Helena says that often people or animals come to her as a last resort, after they have tried more traditional options but to no avail, and she is happy with this.

“It’s less pressure,” she says.

Because Helena’s methods have no basis in science or tradtional medicine, I spoke with two well-known industry figures who have experienced Helena’s healing first-hand to see what they thought of it all and whether they would recommend this type of healing to others.

Helena Hennessy Ruane’s practice is based in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny. If you would like to get in touch with her to find out more please contact Helena on 087 7973776.

Gerry Lynch

Racehorse trainer

TRAINER Gerry Lynch, based in Craughwell, Co Galway had heard about Helena through a friend who was having a number of his horses treated by her. Gerry admits to having been “very sceptical” when he initially heard about Helena and her ability to heal people and animals, but that very quickly changed upon meeting her.

“I was in a lot of pain with my shoulder, having had a number of falls down through the years, a very chronic pain had developed. I’ve had physio and acupuncture and everything to try and sort it but there was never any relief from the pain,” Gerry told The Irish Field.

“My friend has always spoken very highly of Helena and the work that she had done with his horses. He said that I should see for myself, so I made contact with her. After one healing session with Helena I experienced inexplicable relief from the pain in my shoulder.

“I was amazed and I thought ‘if it can work for me then maybe some of my horses could benefit’.

“Rock On Barney had really lost his form and was pulled up on four occasions.

“Helena came to see him and he has been a different horse ever since. He went on and won his first race after Helena had worked on him!”

“Helena comes back to follow up on the horses but will happily tell me if they are feeling well and that there is nothing to be done.

“I would very much recommend her.”

Joanne Quirke

Event co-ordinator for Tattersalls International Horse Trials and show horse producer

JOANNE became friends with Helena through hunting and showing and eventually learned of her reputation to heal people and horses.She explained: “I had been suffering with stomach pain and decided to see if Helena might be able to help.

“Helena has a very calm manner and shows great empathy for those she is healing. After one session with Helena the pain subsided and I haven’t had any problems since.

“Back in January I was out hunting and the horse I was riding, Jack, had a fall. He was quite sore afterwards but the vet couldn’t find anything sinister wrong with him. He was given rest and then was treated by the chiropractor and I also had my farrier take a good look at him.

“There was no improvement however and as the weeks wore on he actually started to deteriorate further, losing a lot of condition. I was worried and asked Helena to come and see him. She said that the source of the problem was his pastern and began to heal him.

“I have to say the horses really seem to relax and enjoy the experience, you can see their head start to lower, their ears will flop and they just look so relaxed.

“Sometimes they even let out a sigh or rest a hind leg. It’s really very interesting to watch.

Within four weeks Jack’s condition had really improved (see accompanying images).”

Another horse, under Joanne’s care, which Helena treated shortly before the Grand National at Aintree is Road To Riches.

Sent to Joanne to do some hunting and to sweeten him up, Road To Riches didn’t take to the change of scenery as well as Joanne had hoped.

“There wasn’t much improvement in him and he was very lack lustre. Helena couldn’t find any pain as such but she asked the ring different questions about the horse’s diet. She then told me that what he was currently being fed did not suit him. She suggested a complete change.

“The new diet was very different to what all the other racehorses were on and I was sceptical, but it really worked for him. His coat and overall appearance really started to improve and he felt like he was back to himself again.

“I think if there is something not right, and you can’t put your finger on it. Then it’s definitely worth getting in touch with Helena.”