A ROSARY crusade has taken place close to a Mass rock where a Canadian mining firm refused permission for a Catholic service last year.
Dozens of people last night took part in the ‘Rosary to Our Lady’ on a country road close to an ancient Mass rock near Greencastle in Co Tyrone.
The Rosary will be said at the site every night during May, a month when Catholics pay special homage to the mother of Christ.
The sacramental rock is located close to an eight foot high blessed statue of the Virgin Mary and plinth which was erected close to the Mass rock last week.
Dalradian Gold wants to develop a mine in the area and plans to build a processing plant at the site which will use the potentially toxic chemical cyanide to extract the precious metal from ore mined locally.
Some residents have objected to the plan on health and environmental grounds and are fearful that if the plan goes ahead the ancient Mass rock could end up submerged in a pond.
The Rosary crusade has been organised by the recently formed Molly Maguires Ancient Order of Hibernian (AOH) division.
Last year Dalradian Gold refused to allow a local priest Fr John Forbes to say Mass at the historic site.
The sacramental stone, which is in an area known as Crockanboy Hill, is believed to date back to the penal laws when Catholics were forced to practice their faith in secret.
Last month the AOH announced plans to mark the 100th anniversary of the Fatima apparitions later this year with a parade to the Mass rock.
Helen Tracey, who is a member of the Molly Maguires AOH division, said the gold mine issue had “divided” the local community.
“We are going back to the basics of prayer and the power of prayer and I think people will come together by the power of prayer,” she said.
In a statement issued last year Dalradian appeared to dispute the beliefs of the priest and some local residents.
“We have no evidence of a Mass rock on land owned or controlled by us,” it said.
