Mass-rock in Coosheen

According to Ryan (1946, 192), a mass-rock was 'reputed to stand on the opposite side of the road [to a burial ground (CO149-001----)]'. Local information confirmed that the mass-rock was located in an overgrown field boundary at the E side of a road and to the E of the burial ground. However, this mass-rock is no longer visible. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009

Mass-rocks were used in Ireland during periods of religious persecution to hold clandestine Catholic Masses, often in remote or hidden locations. This mass-rock in Coosheen is associated with the tradition of secret worship and is linked to the nearby burial ground, suggesting a continuity of religious practice in the area.