School: Knockainey, Hospital (roll number 5195)

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1. Carraig an Aifrinn or the Mass Rock

   

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   Carraig n Affron or the Mass Rock
   Carraig an Affron or the Mass Rock is a towering precipitous rock on the southern shore of Loughgur with a small cave at its Western side. Its conspicuous position on the Western slope of Killolough hill, its hoary sides and grassy summit garlanded with ivy together with its sad history of those penal days when outlawed priest officiated within its silent cavern renders it an object of interest and sublime veneration. Croker mentions that the cave in the Mass Rock was supposed to be the enterance to a beautiful chapel concealed in its interior. And that he heard a tale which he doubted that Dr. Geoffrey Keatings the Irish historian officiated at the rock. Dr. Keatings whist a refugee from the vengeance of the tyrant whom he denounced compiled his Irish history in the Glen of Aherlow
   Lenihan in the Tipperary Vindicator correctly described Leaba Dhiarmada ogus Grainne as follows:-
   On the S. E. side of the lake are Giants Graves 16 foot 8 ins long, 5 feet 5 ins wide and two feet over the surface. The sides are formed by 9 flagstones on edge and covered by four flagstones, some of them three tons in weight.
   At the head or west of this grave is part or continuance of a second, two of the side stones of which are still standing and one has lately come down. The two middle flagstones of the Leaba are somewhat displaces, the end of one of them having fallen in or rather were so removed by some former

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. objects
      1. man-made structures
         1. historical and commemorative structures (~6,794)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Owen Bresnan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Loughgur, Co. Limerick