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GARDAÍ IN CORK have launched an investigation into the disappearance of a pilgrim altar stone in Co Cork which is believed to have been missing since mid-May.
Parish priest at St Finbarr’s Oratory, Fr Martin O’Driscoll, told TheJournal.ie that the 350-year-old stone, which was located behind the church in Gougane Barra, made up part of a round of ten prayers that was still being used by pilgrims up until it was stolen.
A local woman noticed the stone was missing last weekend and a garda investigation has been launched, as well as a wide-scale search by the local community.
“Divers were here on Saturday to dive around the lake but it doesn’t look like it was thrown in,” Fr O’Driscoll said. “I would say at this stage it was taken away completely and we’d ask that somebody hand it back. It has a lot of prayerful significance.”
Neil Lucey owner of the Gougane Barra Hotel, has been working to raise awareness of the mysterious disappearance of the altar stone.
“It’s of no particular value whatsoever to anyone else. The only thing that would create value is that it’s scored across the top in a series of crosses because the pilgrims would run a stone across it and all the crosses join together to create a lattice design. But the real value is to the pilgrims – if it’s in someone’s boot or garden it’s worth nothing.”
Lucey said the locals are surprised that anyone would be so bold as to remove something of such a spiritual nature.
It’s a kind of an old country thing that you don’t take stones from either standing stones or ring forts – it’s not the done thing around here. People believe in a stronger energy and people are saying now “there’ll be no luck following that”.
The hotel-owner said gardaí at Macroom have been very active in their investigation but they have little to go on as there were no witnesses and no CCTV. It is not likely, however, that there is just one culprit involved, as the stone would be extremely heavy and would take at least two people to lift it.
“People here really just want it back. I’m not sure why they would have taken it – I mean we had that with the cross in Carrauntoohill as well – so we don’t know where this notion comes from.”
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Whoever took it will have no luck for it. Still amazes me some of the fools out there.
Shur ’twas the little folk begorrah!
I took it, but I won the lotto 10 days later, musta lost its magic power
is it a class 1 or 2 relic?
Recently upgraded to a class 2
It’s going to be in a movie
Paddy Potter and the tinkers stone
Maybe they should hire the Holy Stone of Clonrckard…
Such a witty comment ,Looney .
One of the most tranquil places in Ireland …
Gougane is a savage spot. Stealing a worthless old rock just to annoy people is childish in the extreme. Gougane should be preserved and hopefully this won’t be the start of a spate of abuse there. I’ve recently had dealings with the Gardaí in Macroom and I found them very good. I’d be confident that they’ll catch the gowls that stole the rock.
what’s a gowl??
It’s a cork thing…. you wouldn’t understand. ;-)
Was it a stone where the Mass was being said underground during times of persecution? If so and it has no monetary value then it’s either done by satanists or a bunch of youngsters being a nuisance who have a dislike for the Church.
The fact that you think satanists are possibly responsible is hilarious , it is most likely the new centrepiece of someone’s back garden
Why do you think it is hilarious? Do you think that satanists don’t exist and are not a real group? Are you aware that they have an absolute hatred for Christianity and the Eucharist and are forever stealing Our Lord from his tabernacle and anything related to the Divine Liturgy? This is why I gave two possibilities. Anyone who steals a stone like this for their garden obviously cares nothing for Christianity either way and is being a nuisance as well.
Stephen, you have proof Satanists are roaming the country stealing relics? PROOF Stephen not another paragraph of your insane ramblings but actual proof ?
Incidentally, I was going to say myself, it was either youngsters or ancient aliens.
Wow you really are a poster child for naivety , satanists want nothing to do with any other religion , if you actually did your research you would know that satanism is a philosophy and not a religion , no I am not a satanist , I just happen to have actually researched something before slapping a label on it as you have with your religious bigotry .
That aside I am sure there are a lot of people that have a hatred for the church at this stage given their pedophile exchange program and various other crimes.
Obviously whoever did it is being a nuisance to the church but automatically accusing groups or individuals you know nothing about is just bottom of the barrel stupidity .
Satanists have an absolute hatred for the Catholic Church and the chief exorcist in Rome has plenty of proof in the matter and I recommend his books where even Police give evidence of seeing relics and most especially the Eucharist being stolen by Satanists for the purpose of black masses where they spit on the Divine Eucharist and mock Our Lord. Many in America often spray their satanic symbols and slogans on churches doors and walls etc etc and they do this in Italy too. Ive done my research and they do exist and attack the church so to suggest otherwise is ridiculous. I didn’t accuse them I said Gave two “possibilities” off the top of my head.
As I suspected, no proof just the insane ramblings of a madman!
And it reads like the top of your head came off in the process. Man, you seriously need to seek help. 21st century, all around. Only crazy people believe in demons… y’know, End Timers, ISIS, similar nutjobs. Your ‘ research ‘ ( you should look up what that word actually means, BTW) is clearly circular and self-referencing. The chief exorcist of the Catholic Church isn’t a good source for unbiased information…he likes his job… Seriously though. Get help with that.
The chief exorcist in Rome you say ….. Ok well your argument is completely valid now that you have referenced a mad man tasked with removing imaginary things from people who have actually been suffering with mental illness .
Next time someone in a white tracksuit offers you coolaid don’t drink it
I don’t usually care about green/red thumps but look at the amount of people that agree with Stephen. Now that’s something to be concerned about, scary stuff.
Yup. There’s more like him out there. A lot of fear in people, of change, of progress. Always thought we’d be getting better, not worse. More and more people crave medieval solutions to their issues…
I completely agree , where did all of these nut jobs come from, I wouldn’t have thought religious fanaticism of that degree was prevalent in Ireland , it’s disturbing to think that these people are walking around with this dogma actually make decisions that influence those around them
Don’t mind Stephen. He was always nuts. Even growing up.
To be honest, unless this guy is a troll, ( and how to be sure?) I think we ought to just back off. The more I read his posts, the more convinced I am that we could do some harm. Think there’s issues here, y’know.
He’s not a troll.
Stephen, 350 years ago would tie into the times of the Penal Laws in Ireland, so you could well be right about that.
Ok…so then he’s not well, right?
Martin play the ball and not the man.
Was actually concerned. Apologies if it came out the wrong way. Silence is golden, I suppose.
Stephen, gods, and religions and holy stones are all man made makey ups, I.e its all a deception I.e a fraud that only the gullible believe, if you had a life threatening condition would you go to a stone God or would you rather have a chat with a hospital consultant?
How can anyone talk to people who are insulting as opposed to offering points ? It’s obvious you have made your mind up and have displayed your own hatred for the Catholic Church. I suspect you even delight in the above article and the stolen content and it’s all a good laugh. Tell me….how do you talk to anyone who behaves like that?
Doctor I find it unfortunate you have to hide behind your anonymous account in order to make such remarks towards me in a bid to intimidate and paint me as some sort of “nutcase” because at least some of the other lads like myself here are honest enough to put a name to our convictions, make them public and I think there’s a lot to be said for that regardless of your creed. I worry more for the people who need to hide behind their keyboard in the shadows and spew their venom in order to satisfy their thirst to hurt and bully others on the Internet.
“How can anyone talk to people who are insulting as opposed to offering points ?”
Stephen I asked you provide proof of your claims and you offered nothing. You have form in this regard, you come on here talk complete and utter rubbish, then cry victim, it’s pathetic.
You made a stupid statement and you expect people to respect your stupidity?
It’s a rock. The ones with fossils in them are interesting. Find another rock, scratch a few lines on it, worship THAT. Superstition is funny.
Newgrange is just a pile of rocks too, yeah?
There might be a supernatural explanation: it could now be standing as a monolith on the dark side of the moon.
Another great waste of garda resources…
it is a theft of a cultural artefact and regardless of how you feel about religion the fact that somebody chooses for whatever reason to destroy a part of our heritage should be of concern.
Oddly enough, I agree with you on that score. It just falls short of any particular significance, though, doesn’t it? On a sliding scale of great works of art inspired by faith, with the Sistine or Stonehenge at one extreme, this is kinda way way off the other…like, it’s SO insignificant that the light FROM insignificant takes a billion years to reach it?
It will most likely turn up in a plastic irish bar in new York, like all the road signs, water pumps, that get stolen by the ethnic minority.
I know a coco worker who did the same with a top stone from a well and did it to put it into his garden then…
probably moved it to Clonrickert.Wasn’t doing much business.
I have a grand use for it anyway now lol my garden gnomes are looking great by it:)
Surely the stone is more than 350 years old …
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