School: An Pasáiste, Corcaigh
- Location:
- Passage West, Co. Cork
- Teacher: William Meiklejohn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0390, Page 100
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- XML “The Mass Caves”
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- Many years ago before Passage be came famous the Penal Laws were in force and the Irish were not allowed to practice their religion. Every week a priest used to say mass in a cave some where across at the opposite side of Passage. The people of Passage used to go down to the quay and kneel down there so that is the way they heard mass. About that time Cromwell was in Ireland. One morning while the priest was saying mass a rumour went round that Cromwell was near. The priest told the people to go away and that he would stay finish the mass and he said that God would protect him. All the people went a way and Cromwell's soldiers went in to caves. After wards when the people came to the caves the priest and the sacred vessels were gone and nothing was ever heard of the priest or the vessels again. So that is how they are called the Mass Caves.
- Collector
- D. O' Neill
- Address
- Passage West, Co. Cork
- Informant
- Kattie Ahern
- Address
- Passage West, Co. Cork
