The volunteers took things a little further than they would have in 1950 and carried up with them an array of solar panels. Very mysterious.St Lachtan’s Holy Well is situated south of Ballyvourney and in 1950 a group of volunteers from the Ré na nDoiri branch of Muintur na Tíre decided to erect a cross on the well to mark the occasion. The concrete cross on the summit was erected in 1950 to mark Holy Year. They called it The Cross of Hope and as such it recalls the beacons that lighted many a weary sailor’s way into safe harbour.This week we walked up (above) to the cross on Dromore Hill. Somehow the notion of hilltop crosses became The Idea of the day – perhaps it was suggested by John Charles McQuaid as a suitable mark of respect. Byrne, Dr. Donnelly, Fr. It was the height of a certain time of Catholicism in Ireland – fervent, highly-organised, state-sanctioned – and the Pope’s decree was embraced with enthusiasm. Besides specially organised missions, sodalities, novenas and parades, many towns and villages decided to mark the year by erecting monuments. Sounds a bit medieval, doesn’t it? Pius XII encouraged those who could to make a pilgrimage to Rome.In response, Ireland mounted a National Pilgrimage, led by the President, Seán T O’Ceallaigh. (Special thanks to Oliver Farrell and Bridget Threthewey for directions. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! At the time, there were fund-raising drives and committees and huge ceremonials attached to the actual situating of the crosses.We have visited several of these crosses lately. Do you have one close to where you live?There seems to be a thread going through our recent posts: my After lockdown restrictions were eased, we made a little trip up to County Wicklow to see family and friends, and took full advantage of the many trails that cross the granite outcrops between Bray and Greystones. And all over Ireland plans got underway to erect tall crosses on top of the local prominent landmark.Many (most?) To my left is the distinctive Mizen Peak. Thus, this is a very modern re-incarnation of the traditional Holy Year Cross – a glow-in-the-dark model. Every good Friday, Bray Head attracts many visitors marking the stations of the cross and honouring the holy grounds at the top of Bray Head. *First of all, what is a Holy Year? Ardmore Studios Ireland's only purpose built film studios are located in Bray. Everything about the official Government position telegraphed the statement – We are a Catholic Country.But how did this ultra-Catholicism manifest itself in individual communities? There is also evidence of visits to Bray by Romans, possibly from Britain, circa the first century BC. Pilgrims going to the holy city of Glendalough and keeping to the coastline south out of Dublin might have followed the routes which, today, pass over Bray Head.

An Irish Homestead, Bray. Circa 1858. We have many years of exploring Ireland under our belts, and look forward to lots still to come.Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. On top of Bray Head you can see a concrete cross which was erected in 1950. Today, Bray Head is enjoyed by many as a recreational amenity and there are several walking paths around the head. We couldn’t figure out the power source though – electrical lines disappear into the ground. In 1950 Pope Pius XII declared a Holy Year – and galvanised Ireland. Bray enjoys a mile long beachfront promenade, that runs from harbour near Martello Terrace, the childhood home of James Joyce and ends at bray head, The Sugar Loaf and the scenic Wicklow Mountains. This one is clearly visible to anyone travelling between Drimoleague and Bantry, on a hill behind the village of Dromore. Take a hike up to the cross on Bray Head, look out over the sea, the town, and beyond, to Dublin and Howth.

Take the twister of Herbert Road, and on up past Ardmore Studios. It stands on a hill between between Skibbereen and Lough Hyne – I’m not sure what the townland name is, it looks like its on the boundaries of Gortshancrone, Booleybane and Curravalley.If anyone local knows about it, or can tell us the best way up, we would love to hear it.It wasn’t always a cross – the people of the beautiful Glen of Aherlow in Tipperary decided on a giant Christ the King statue (above). The rocks of Bray Head are a mixture of greywackes and quartzite. Bray’s earliest history is shrouded in the mists of time, there are traces of Bronze age (2,300 to 600 BC) settlements in the area. Few today remember the impetus which led to their erection. As you can imagine, this is an attractive proposition for an ardent believer, steeped in all the ritual and dogma of Catholicism – and that described almost all of us in 1950s Ireland.The Holy Year itself involved many rituals. It’s a year of special devotion and penance, and a year in which, through following certain prescriptions, you can gain a Plenary Indulgence. Two well-weathered early Christian crosses survive, at Fassaroe to the north, and Fairyhill to the south. We think.Raverty’s Medical Hall, corner of Main Street & Herbert RoadMain Street, with Brown’s, Morris wallpapers, The Wicklow Hills, Murdocks & Scotty’sBray Through A Car Window 1970s. In 1950 Pope Pius XII declared a Holy Year – and galvanised Ireland. Sitting at the base of the cross enjoying a well-earned rest, we reminded ourselves that when it was erected over 5,000 people attended the blessing ceremony.More recently, here in West Cork, we walked up to two crosses, the first at Knockaphuca on the Mizen (above and below).