DESCENDANTS of islanders who erected the Bere Island Holy Year Cross in 1951 to commemorate the Holy Year of 1950 are now fundraising to undertake essential repairs on the landmark which stands on one of the island’s main points, overlooking Berehaven Harbour and the wider Beara peninsula.
A recent survey of the cross revealed cracks in the arms, which are in need of urgent repair.
The cross was constructed entirely by hand.
The Holy Year Cross Committee, chaired by islander Maeve Priebs-Harrington, said they have planned a programme to repair the cross, and also power-wash it and repaint it.
The group are now seeking donations to help with the cost of the repairs and have set up a GoFundMe. Initially, a smaller wooden cross was erected on Stephen’s Day 1950. However, it didn’t survive the winter storms which led islanders to plan the construction of a larger, more permanent concrete structure.
It cost £300 to build and was funded and built by islanders living at home and away. Fr Quane, the island parish priest at the time, said the cross would ‘stand above the great bay and harbour as a memorial to all those born on the island.’
Work started in 1951 and involved bringing a lorry from Castletownbere on board a barge to assist in transporting materials up to the hilly site.
With volunteer labour, the cross was constructed entirely by hand without the use of machinery.
On its completion, a mass was celebrated at the Cross in September 1951, and to this day mass is celebrated annually at the cross every August.
Some years later, electricity cables were brought to the site and now the cross is illuminated at night. Maeve said that any funds raised over the group’s target of €5,000 will be used towards ongoing costs in lighting the cross.
