Rearcross - (Reardnogymore)

Our Lady of Visitation Church (originally built in 1860).

This unique Church was designed by a Swiss Architect for a Wesleyan Congregation in Northumbria and used by a mining community. Some versions insist it comes from Wales. Its corrugated exterior speaks of it's temporary nature. In 1887, the parish Priest of Kilcommon purchased the church for £440. It was then dismantled and shipped via Limerick and re-erected at it's present location. It's a little bit of Germany in the Tipperary Mountains. On entering one is struck by how light and airy the structure is within and the added loft features bring out the inner child as you rush up the stairs to explore. Watch out for the cast-iron supports. A wonderful church and well worth a visit.

 

View from the Gallery

A former Wesleyan/Methodist Church from a Welsh or Northumbrian mining village. The Tin Church was dismantled and re-erected in Rearcross in 1887

Timber Gallery makes a wonderfully theatrical vantage point

Main St, Rearcross

Proclamation forbidding the Mass Meeting of 18/11/1888

CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH 22/11/1888

This verbatim version from Clarksville Evening Chronicle - 21/11/1888

R.I.C. Casualties at Lackamore - Constable Finn was stationed at Rearcross

Attack by the 6th Battalion IRA on Rearcross Barracks in July 1920. The primary goal being to deny the Crown forces a base of operations

Making things hot for the R.I.C. Notice how Paddy Ryan Lacken involves himself in all operations

(militaryarchives.ie)

The Irish Times - (04/05/1920)

Random Shooting - (Struggle of the Irish People - 04/07/1920)

Assault by 5th Batt IRA on Rearcross Barracks - (11/07/1920)

Irish Study forbidden - (Irish Independent - 24/09/1920)

Rearcross Creamery - Attack & Compensation - (The Nation 26/01/1921)

The Irish Times - (11/04/1927)

Shanballyedmond Court Cairn

Entrance & courtyard

Artists impression from site

A two chambered court cairn and courtyard. Originally it would have been covered with stones, it dates from Megalithic times making it over 5000 years old. It was found to have cremated bones dating from the Neolithic Age when excavated in1958. Funerary bowls and flint arrow heads were also discovered. Significantly the entrance is aligned to Mauhersleive on Midsummers Sunrise. In later years during the Bronze Age around 1500 BC a ring of 34 wooden poles was inserted around the monument

Baurnadomeeney  - Barr na Doimíní

Lantern slides of  Baurnadomeeny Wedge Grave

Baurnadomeeny Wedge Grave (Bed of Diarmuid & Grainne) and Standing Stone (Clochfadda)

Dating from pre-history and now missing the cairn or mound that would once have covered it. This site was a burial chamber for distant ancestors. The cremated ashes placed in bowls would have been buried within the chamber. When I visited as a teenager, I crawled inside. I remember finding the distinctive crumbly red pottery with corded imprint, within the chamber. When it was excavated in 1959 by M.J. Kelly, it was found to have evidence of the Beaker People.  

This Gallery wedge grave also found a use in more recent historical times when it was used as a refuge and store during the War of Independence. Unfortunately part of the original floor was removed, destroying the historical strata and contaminating the structure with broken glass and metal. The reason....the occupants who were 'on the run' were creating headroom.