The Cromwellian period and Penal Times were dark days in the history of the Irish Church. Faced with extreme and sustained adversity, the story of these times is the heroism of the people and their success in keeping the faith alive.

By the end of the Cromwellian campaign in the early 1650's the church at Moynoe was in ruins. The county was administered by parliamentary commissioners, the suppression of "Popery" being one of their chief objectives. Church property was confiscated and Roman Catholic clergy were persecuted. "Popish" natives, it was believed, would be more likely to convert to Puritanism if the influence of the clergy was removed. The expectations of the authorities were not fulfilled. The effects of these measures were that many catholic priests and bishops went into hiding. Catholic worship continued in secret and mass was celebrated in quiet secluded locations such as Cappabane.

Charles II became king in May 1660 and this heralded a period known as the Restoration. While the laws against Catholics remained, they were not often enforced and by and large Catholics were free from the fear of persecution. The Jacobite wars which followed in the late 1680's and early 1690's were times of great turbulence in the country. On their conclusion, however, the victory of the forces of William of Orange was a prelude to a new era of persecution of Catholics known in history as the Penal Days. The real object of the Penal Laws was England's necessity in keeping Ireland in safe subjection. Since the vast majority of the natives were catholic, it was convenient to use religious criteria when framing legislation. All the catholic clergy had to leave the country by May 1698. By an act of 1703 some priests were allowed to remain provided they were registered with the authorities. At the Petty Sessions in Ennis in 1704 Fr.Edmund Grady, a man of 50 who lived in Capparoe, was officially registered as a priest in the Scariff area One of his sponsors on that day was Mr John Ringrose of Moynoe House. In 1715 a Fr.Daniel Vaughan succeeded Fr. Grady. We can make a fair assumption that both of these men at some stage celebrated Mass in Cappabane.

With bishops banished and sending children abroad for education illegal, ordinations would not take place. It was the expectation that catholic clergy would die out in a generation. In practice, however, unregistered clergy continued to operate. Many bishops and priests were smuggled into the country. In 1709 further laws were passed which offered a reward of £20 for each unregistered priest found in Ireland. Although in some areas this led to the dreaded priest-hunter, enforcement of the laws varied widely. In many districts the authorities 'turned a blind eye' to the activities of the priests. Yet it was imperative that the clergy exercise great caution in their ministry. So as in Cromwell's time fifty years earlier, the people of Scariff turned to Cappabane as the centre of religious worship.

There is no detailed record of the use of the Mass rock in this period. This is hardly surprising given the fact that celebrating mass there was illegal. There would not have been regular scheduled Masses as we have today. Word would have been passed about when mass was being said and parishioners would have arrived from all directions via Mass-paths which then existed. There are no accounts of any raids by the "Redcoats" or other stories of dramatic events. It is most unlikely that such incidents ever took place in Cappabane. By the 1730's the worst of the religious persecution was over. In a report on the State of Popery in 1731 Rev. Mr. Benjamin Lloyd stated that in this part of East Clare, seven Mass houses existed with five officiating priests. With Mass being celebrated openly again, the era of the Mass rock was at an end.

From this time right up to the beginning of this century there are no references to the Mass rock available. Certainly, however, the people of the parish continued to regard it as a special and holy place and the memory of its former use was passed on through the generations. On August 1st 1897 Fr James Halpin was appointed parish priest of Scariff. By all accounts a keen historian Fr Halpin took a great interest in the Mass rock. In the parish Baptism Register in his own handwriting are "Notes on the history of the parish taken from the old people" and among them he wrote, 'There is near Collins' house a Mass rock I sent a sketch to the Catholic Truth Society in 1903 and mean to have an iron cross inserted. This has been done since and I hope to have the place enclosed and planted".





The low wall, which encircles the rock, would date from this period. The planting was also completed.Today one tree remains from the original planting, standing close to the wall in the north- western part of the site. The iron cross is still there. It is believed the cross was made in the forge in Scariff (on the site where J.J.Bugler's bar now stands). It was erected by Mr.Michael Mason of Sheaun. Michael was a stone-mason, and the striking carving of a chalice at the front of the Mass rock is his work.

Further development took place about 1960 when the then curate Fr.Charles Navin took an interest in the site. He had a stone path constructed providing easy access to the enclosure from a nearby farm track. In recent years Scariff Community Council has been working on the Mass rock and the area has been cleared of bushes. Two other features, within the enclosure behind the Mass rock are now clearly visible. One is a flat slab of rock protruding from the ground at an angle and is known as the 'Communion Rail'. The other is a small box-like construction, made of stone and called the 'Confessional'. There is no historical evidence associated with these features. There is nothing, however, to suggest they were not used for the purpose their name implies.

The monument has been well preserved. The Collins family on whose land the Mass rock stands are to the fore in ensuring that it remains as a tribute to those who kept the fires of faith burning in Scariff through almost a century of persecution.

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