Valentia’s grotto: its iconic history

SITUATED in an extensively excavated side of Geokaun Mountain on the northern slopes of Valentia Island is a very impressive tribute to the Virgin Mary.

There’s a statue to her honour there, and also one of Saint Marie Bernadette Soubirous, the girl who witnessed Mary’s apparition in Lourdes at the foot of the Pyrenees in the southwest of France in 1858.

The statues are positioned in a cave elevated from ground level to a height of about 96 feet. They were erected by the people of Valentia in 1954 to commemorate Marian Year, established by the Catholic Church. The year 2014 was its 60th anniversary

Fr James Enright, who was the PP of Valentia in Marian Year, saw a golden opportunity in such a setting for his commemorative grotto.

The popular and dynamic prelate (instrumental also in the campaign for the Valentia Bridge), together with much help from his good friend Denny Lyne of Upper Ballyhearney, set the ball rolling, with a fundraising venture being established throughout the island, as well as many willing and able volunteers giving of their time.

Fr Enright decided exactly where the statues were to be positioned.

But the burning issue was how were these heavy items going to be put in place and worked upon at over 90 feet from ground level?

The answer came in the building of a deal timber ladder.

Subsequent to the ladder being put in place, a number of daring and intrepid islanders had to climb it for the purpose of erecting the statues.

The statues were hoisted up by rope, with other tools and building materials also hoisted.

When work was completed the ladder was removed, but in 1967 the statues had to be repainted.

John Lyne from Lower Ballyhearney, who had a reputation for scaling heights, was lowered from the top of the mountain, suspended on ropes and lowered down by volunteering islanders.

The statues were painted by abseilers on a number of occasions since then.

On a recent Saturday of October 14, the statues were once more painted, with the surrounds cleared of moss, and a new lighting system put in place. Full credit for the organising of this must go to Sean Curran of Chapeltown (Caol); and his assistants, Con O’Shea of Corobeg (transport) and Kieran Sugrue of Knightstown (electrician). Marie Williams facilitated the funds

Photo of the newly painted and cleaned Valentia Grotto statues.