THE MASSROCK

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Carved in Stone

The Killoughcarron Massrock
1700’S

Mass was Concelebrated
on 7th June 1993 by:

Fr. Pat Brady, Phila.
Fr. Mike Mc Devitt, St. Louis.
Fr. Mike Murtah, Phila.
Fr Paul  Uschaidze Phila.

Present. 
Fr. Pat Gallagher P.P. Meevagh.
Deacon Tim O’Sullivan, New York.
Sr. Joan Agnes Mc Fadden, RGS, South Africa  

The Killoughcarron Massrock

For the first time in many years Mass was conselabrates at the Massrock in Killoughcarron, Creeslough, on the 7th of June 1993 by Fr. Pat Brady Phila. USA. Fr. Micheal Mc Devit St. Louis, USA. Fr. Mike Murtah Phili, USA. Fr. Paul Uschaidze Phila. USA.  Present were Decon Tim O'Sullivan New York, USA.  Fr. Gallagher P.P. Carrigart (Meevagh). Sr.Joan Agnes Mc Fadden. Killoughcarron & South Africa. There was a lot of people present from around Creeslough and from all over Donegal also the USA. connection.

Fr.Pat Brady  Mother is Mary Mc Fadden from Killoughcarron, Creeslough, and his Father  Patrick Brady 2nd generation American who's decendance came from Coothill, Co. Cavan  were present. As were Fr. Micheal Mc Devit Mother Margaret  from St. louis, USA. and his aunt Agnes Coll from Philidelphia., USA. Fr. Micheal Mc Devit Mother Margaret who's mother was also Mary Mc Fadden from Killoughcarron, Creeslough, making the two mother's cousins. Or you could say that Margaret Mc Devitt mother  Mary Mc Fadden and the other Mary Mc Fadden  father who was Dominick Mc Fadden were brother and sister.

Fr. Mike Murtah Phili, USA. Fr. Paul Uschaidze Phila. USA. were ordained with Fr. Pat Brady in Philadelphia on 15/05/1993. Fr.Tim O’Sullivan, USA. was ordained in Philadelphia on 15/05/1994.

   The priests reach dry land with

 the help of boatmen

 Brian McGinley and John Brennan

Fr. Murtah What Now !!!.

In a lonely mountain valley In the hills of Donegal, Lies one of Ireland’s hallowed spots, Deserted and unknown.
But few who write historic tales, Or wield the poet’s pen, Can say with pride - they knelt beside,
The Mass Rock in the glen.

Our priests like wolves were hunted down, O God ‘twas surely hard.
That from the right to worship Thee, Thy children were debarred.
But still they proudly bore, Thy cross Those simple mountain men - Were proud to share Thy Calvary,
By the Mass Rock in the glen.

No more on top of Croagh Hill The sentinel stands guard.
Our ancient foes, the foreign yoghs, Have gone to their reward.
And he who worships God in peace, May bless the fearless men, Who held the faith for Ireland
By the Mass Rock in the glen.

God Bless the glens of Ireland, Every rock and mountain pass ‘twas those game glens,
that under God, Preserved for us, the Mass.
And if the day should come again, When Ireland calls for men, She will not find them wanting,
By the Mass Rock in the glen.

  Written by Deirdre Kearney grandfather Felix Kearney of Omagh Co Tyrone.

IRELAND’S PENAL DAYS 

Was read by

Fr.McDevit

IRELAND’S PENAL DAYS

The Irish parliament sitting in Dublin, comprised almost entirely of a small group of wealthy, land-owning members of the established church, passed severe far reaching penal laws applicable only to Catholics, Presbyterians, Quakers and other religious denominations in Ireland. 
Briefly, some of the laws stated that everyone must pay tithes to the established church, but only members of the church could vote, engage in politics or purchase land. The purpose in passing the laws was to ensure and maintain the position of power and privilege that they and their followers enjoyed. 

Additional laws were passed forbidding Catholics to teach or practice their religion. These were intended to eliminate the faith from the country but the law had the completely opposite affect. At that time, before famine and mass emigration played havoc, Ireland’s population was almost twice today’s four million and a very, very large majority of these were Catholic and determined to hold firm to the faith which they loved and cherished. Various ways and means were adopted to defy the laws. Teachers taught the pupils in the open, at the sides of lanes and roadways. They were known as ‘Hedge Schools’, and many Irish scholars had their primary education at one of these ‘Schools’. 

Priests were outlawed and hunted and moved in secret around the country to perform their religious duties. Mass was celebrated in barns and buildings, sometimes lent by Protestant sympathisers who were also victims of the laws and very active in their opposition to them. The most famous of all the places where Mass was celebrated were the ‘Mass Rocks’. These were located in remote valleys and on hillsides to allow worshippers to disperse quickly and avoid capture in the event of discovery by forces of the Crown.

As Pope Pius XI reminds us at the opening of the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932.

“WE MUST NEVER FORGET THE MASS ROCKS”        More History