Name of Pilgrimage site: Faha Grotto, Cloghane
Google Maps – 52.24021278784271, -10.20881311919706
Why is it a place of pilgrimage?
Múire Na Sléibhte/ Lady of the Mountain.
Spring 1918, A three-year-old girl Teresa Moriarty got lost on Brandon Mountain whilst herself and her siblings were bringing home the cows for milking. The search began but to no avail, as fog came down it had to be abandoned until next morning. Her father set out early next morning and found her asleep sheltering under a rock. When she awoke, she told her father a lady came and wrapped a cloak around her when she got cold during the night. On arrival back at home she pointed to a picture on the kitchen wall and said “this is the lady” whom I saw. The picture was of Teresa of the Child Jesus, (The Little Flower).
Further Information
In 1954, Parish Priest of Cloghane, Father James O’ Connor, led a pilgrimage to Mount Brandon in honour of the Marion Year. Among the pilgrims was John O’ Connor, a tailor from Tralee. On his way back down, an idea came him to build a shrine to Our Lady, he revealed his dream to some local people and found that they were of a similar mindset.
Mike Moriarty, of Faha, donated the site for the Grotto. Work commenced on the Grotto with pickaxes, shovels, sledge hammers and crowbars. Every Sunday and in the bright long evenings. Young men of Faha, Baile na Leacan, Cluainnsearrach prepared the site. Every Sunday John O Connor cycled from Tralee (around trip of 50 miles) to supervise the construction of the Grotto. The Grotto was built on the hillside, under the guidance of Mike Moriarty a stone mason. Three alcoves were created for the statues of: St Patrick, Our Lady and St Brendan. Our Lady’ s statue (Muire Na Sléibhte) made of Italian marble, was donated by Charles and Bridget Tiernan (nee O Connor) from New York. Bridget was originally from the last house at Faha nearest to the Grotto. The statues of St Patrick and St Brendan were purchased through local fundraising and in 1958 the Grotto was completed.
In 2018, to mark the Grottos 60th anniversary, a group of local people took it upon themselves to renovate it, under the group “Tidy Towns Clochán/Bréanainn”. Fundraising took place and the O Connor brothers from Faha led the project. New stone walls footpaths and kneelers were restored, new shrubs and hedging planted. A plaque dedicated to an tAthair Donnocha Ó Laocha was unveiled. Two new benches were installed. One donated in memory of Jeremiah Keane the other to the locals who assisted in the restoration of the Grotto.
Today we return every year on the 16th of May (St Brendan’s day) to celebrate mass at approximately 10 am. In the past Michael Fitzgerald from Castlegregory, taught English to Priests and religious people in a school in Dublin. Michael and some Priests from China, Africa etc accompanied him on his Kerry trip to say Mass at the Grotto and walk Mount Brandon and say mass there as well on a yearly basis. The Cloghane school children attend, they walk up and down weather permitting. It is easily accessible by a new narrow road from the carpark, or go up through the fields (the old route). Its clean and dry mostly. Parking is provided at the carpark used for Brandon Mountain as well. As the Grotto is at the base of Brandon Mountain, it is regularly visited by travellers on the way up and down.
Reference: Book, The parish of Cloghane, The Centenary of St Brendan’s Church pages 48-49. Printed by Leinster Leader Ltd.
Type in “Grotto Faha Cloghane” to google and up will come some nice photos and videos.
Friday 16th May 2025
9:30am Depart Faha Grotto for Mount Brandon summit.
12 Noon Mass at Mount Brandan Summit (Weather Permitting)
10:00am Mass at Faha Grotto (If weather is bad, mass at St Brendan’s Church, Cloghane)
17:30pm Ringing of the Bell at Cuas an Bhodaigh/Brandon Creek 18:00pm Angelus-Regina Caeli at Cuas an Bhodaigh/Brandon Creek