School: Forgney, Ballymahon (roll number 860)
- Location:
- Forgney, Co. Longford
- Teacher: Mrs B. Higgins
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0750, Page 450
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- XML School: Forgney, Ballymahon
- XML Page 450
- XML “Mass Rock”
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- There is a mass-rock in a field belonging to James Derwin of Forgney.
He is the man, on whose land St Patrick's well is situated also. The well has been described at the beginning of this book.
The mass-rock is in a sheltered corner of the field. It consists of a mound of stones overgrown with grass. It is said that, in the Penal times, a Franciscan used to say mass there. But he was murdered by Yeomen at the rock, and the people buried his body in the old graveyard of Forgney nearby.
There is a tradition here, that if a murder is committed in a place, persons passing by should throw a piece of stone or rock on the spot, so that no harm should come to themselves. This practice is supposed to be the origin of the mound of stones, which covers the mass rock. The mound is about seven yards long, and three wide and about three feet high.
It is said that the priest's vestments, the chalice, and the other altar vessels, are buried at one end of this mound.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Irene B. Finnegan
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Forgney, Co. Longford
- Informant
- James Derwin
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Forgney, Co. Longford
