Mass-rock in Carhoo South

In pasture, on a N-facing slope, overlooking a wooded ravine in an area of undulating farmland. A rough-surfaced shelf, which is located towards the E end of outcropping rock (c. 10m E-W) that protrudes from the steep slope, was used as a mass-rock. A recently erected Latin cross, which marks the mass-rock, carries an inscription 'Carmelite Mass Rock 1698-1720'. Mass has been celebrated here in recent times. According to local information, the remains of a priest's hut are in the ravine to the NW. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009

A mass-rock used during the Penal Times when Catholic worship was banned in Ireland, such sites were often located in secluded areas to allow clandestine religious gatherings. These rocks were sometimes associated with local saints or traditions of spiritual resistance.