Some fragments of history
GeoloGically old, the Joyce country also has a long history of human occupation, and it is thought that the first inhabitants came into the area to mine copper, and it could well be that the quartzite peak of croagh Patrick to the north became sacred because of its gold. Before the decline of Gaelic power, the area was controlled by a number of tribes, or septs who followed Brehon Law, and owed allegiance to their high king, one of whom commissioned a silver and bronze covered cross. This is the famous Cong Cross, crafted for Turlough Mór O’Connor, king of Connaught, Meath, Breifne and Munster. Brought to Cong from Tuam, it was smuggled out of the monastery just before Queen Elizabeth’s notorious Governor, Bingham, arrived on the scene in 1540. It went back into the parish church, only to be sold for one hundred guineas to the Royal irish Academy by a hard pressed priest who
needed funds to repair the roof. In fury, another cleric, Fr lavelle, raced off to Dublin, and in a smash and grab raid removed the cross from the National Museum where it had gone on display. Fr lavelle, well-educated and extremely combatitive, had been sent into Tourmakeady by the Catholic Archbishop to counter the efforts of landlord and Protestant Bish ??bGV??F???2?V??WGB?F?6??fW'B?"Wf?7B??2FV??G2??Bv2G&VFgV?F??Rf?"??F??6RV?f?'GV?FRV??Vv?F?&R6Vv?@????F?R?FF?R??BWfV?G26?RF??VB???c?v?V?f?"F?&VRF?2GW&??r??fV?&W"?F??'FVV?f??W2vW&RG&?fV??WBF?fV?Bf?"F?V?6V?fW2??F??Vv?Wf?7F???26??F??VVB?F?R?Ww26W6VB7V6????FW&?F?????WF7'?F?B?B?&?VBGW&???r???B???&?6???7F?'??F?W&??VG??2?6??FR6?v??f?6?B6??G&?'WF???F?F?RvV?2&Wf?f???Bf?"????V'26??:?7FR?V?&Rv2F?R?6R?F????66????FV6?W'2?VFVBf?"F?&V6??R&?f?6?V?B???&?6??F?R?v??f?6V?B66V?W'?'?F????Vv??D??6?W&6R&6??fR?