carraig an aifrinn: Mass Rock - An raibh tú ar an gCarraig - Were You at the Rock?

 "An raibh tú ar an gCarraig” 

Were You at the Rock?

Or did you yourself see my love.

Or did you see a brightness.

the fairness and the beauty of the woman?

Or did you see the apple.

the sweetest and the most fragrant blossom?

Or did you see my Valentine?

Is she being subdued as they are saying?

O, I was at the rock.

And I myself saw your love

O, I saw a brightness,

the fairness and the beauty of the woman

O, I did see the apple

The sweetest and the most fragrant blossom

and I saw your Valentine

she is not being subdued as they are saying

At first glance, “An raibh tú ar an gCarraig” appears to be a series of questions and answers about a young woman, but in reality, it contains a coded message:

I was at the Mass I saw the Virgin Mary.

I received communion, and said the rosary

I saw the chalice,

And saw the sacrifice of the Mass

And I practiced the faith:

We are not being subdued as they are saying.

It was a privilege to be able to attend Mass at a Mass Rock in 2019 and what greater privilege than to be able to continue to be attending Mass!

from: https://sites.google.com/site/credo2019/massrock

In Ireland in the Penal Days of the late 17th and early 18th century, it was forbidden for the people to gather together to celebrate the Eucharist and there was a price on the head of anyone who convened such a gathering. Any priest who was captured was executed, as were those who harbored him. There was even a special reward -thirty pounds- for anyone who told the authorities where a priest was being hidden. Because of the dangers involved, the Eucharist, or Mass, was celebrated in hiding, often in desolate places – in woodlands and forests or in inaccessible caves by the sea shore. Often, rocks and other such surfaces became the altar and the places of prayer. As people gathered to pray, others would act as ‘lookouts’ to protect the men, women, and children as they shared the Eucharist together in hiding. Many beautiful texts have been written of these tragic times and were often disguised in different forms and images to protect the people involved. One such piece is called “An raibh tú ar an gCarraig” (“Were You at the Rock?”)- the ‘carrig’ was the ‘Mass rock’ used as a meeting place.

The song "An raibh tú ar an gCarraig” (“Were You at the Rock?”) – the ‘gCarraig’ was the “Mass rock” used as a meeting place.

Were you at the Rock and did you see my Valentine? (meaning either the priest or the host)

It was a code addressed to a disguised priest or the people present, so the enemy would not grasp the true meaning. Even if he spoke Irish. Death was also the penalty for those caught attending Mass.  

https://sspx.ca/en/news/mass-rocks-and-survival-faith-ireland-father-mcmahon-24227

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/secret-paths-ireland-catholic-forbidden-mass-photography

https://irishpage.com/poems/carraig.html