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Theft of Mass Rock reported to
National Museum
30.07.09
by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent
LOCALS in Malin Head have appealed for the return of
the Inistrahull Mass Rock, which is now understood
to have been taken from the island on the June Bank
Holiday Weekend.
One local fisherman, who was on Inistrahull island
last week and he confirmed that, while the backdrop
on which the rock stood was still there, the mass
rock itself was nowhere to be seen.
It is now believed that the rock was taken from the
island by a visitor from the midlands area who made
a day trip to the island on a local boat.
“There were boats [trips] out to the ‘hull on the
June Bank Holiday weekend and unfortunately nobody
on the boat realised the significance of what had
been back by this individual,” said the fisherman
who appealed for the return of the Mass Rock.
“We are dependent on tourism and when we are showing
people around the ‘hull, the mass rock is one of the
main things we point out so we would dearly like to
get it back,” added the fisherman who believes that
the tourist thought to have taken the rock intended
to inscribe the artefact and possibly use it as a
garden ornament.
Meanwhile Sean Beattie, author of Book of
Inistrahull, said that the theft of the Mass Rock
had been reported to the Donegal County Museum as
well as National Museum in Dublin |
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Speaking to the
Inishowen Independent yesterday, Andy Halpin, a Duty
Officer with the National Museum said he was aware
of the reported theft.
“In a case like this we would investigate, but there
is no set procedure for this investigation. First we
need to establish the facts,” said Mr Halpin, who
added that it was unusual for Mass Rocks to go
missing.
Mr Beattie said that the disappearance of the
Inistrahull Mass Rock on was a great loss to the
archaeological heritage of Inishowen.
“Traditionally, Irish people treated the Mass Rocks
with great respect and theft of Mass Rocks is very
rare. Inistrahull Mass Rock is one of the few Mass
Rocks with a cross inscribed on the stone and is one
of the last archaeological artefacts on the island.
“It was in use primarily during the worst of the
Penal Laws between 1680 and 1740 but was also used
after that time. Priests had to register in the
early eighteenth century but if they did not do so
they could be banished, so the Mass Rock came into
Irish history. People needed to worship in a place
of safety and there were very few churches. Fear
gripped the community because a number of priests
were killed.
“The Inistrahull Mass Rock could date back to early
Christian times when monks from local monasteries
used the island as a hermitage, a station or place
of pilgrimage. It is possible the island was used as
a place of pagan worship in pre-Christian times
because the word "altar" occurs in ancient Irish
placenames on the island.
“The rock was a centre for prayer in times of peril
or when fishermen were lost at sea and people prayed
for their safe return. People also gathered there to
pray on Sundays if there was no priest to say Mass
on the island. The islanders were a very spiritual
people so the Mass Rock was a holy and a sacred
place. It was the holiest place on the island.” |
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