New temple for Beara’s cliffside Buddhist centre

A NEW temple at Dzogchen Beara at the tip of the Beara Peninsula is opening its doors to the public for the first time on July 17th.

Centre director Malcolm MacClancy suggested that a new programme of events could be a wonderful way for people to come and experience this beautiful new addition to the cliff-top Buddhist centre.

‘Whether you are new to meditation and Buddhism, or an experienced meditation practitioner, there is something for everyone,’ said the centre director, who confirmed that they will be hosting free visits to the temple every day of the week at 1.45pm.

The construction of the temple, complete with its copper roofs, has been a labour of love over the last eight years.

It has been built in the style of a traditional Tibetan monastery with innovative features such as floor-to-ceiling windows that make the most of expansive ocean views.

The temple will be a place for the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism, but it will also host teachers from other wisdom traditions and extend an open-hearted welcome to all through a programme of public retreats and seminars.

The new programme at the temple will include a lot of free events, such as the 45-minute daily guided meditations at 9.15am and again at 2.15pm.

Other events will incur a small charge, like the half-day mini-retreats from 10.30am to 2pm every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, which includes lunch, for €40.

A Move to Meditate class, which involves Kum Nye Tibetan Yoga, is also available for a small charge from 10.30am until 12pm, and there will be free Dharma talks every Tuesday from 7pm to 8.30pm.

‘July 17th is an occasion of great significance for us,’ said Malcolm. ‘It’s an exciting time, and our new programme is our way of opening our doors to everyone.’

An official opening event will happen at a later date.