Rosary Workshop - Museum - Irish Penal Rosary
20c IRISH PENAL ROSARY
AN PAIDRIN BEAG - THE LITTLE ROSARY - 1950s
     When the church was being persecuted the faithful went underground and the Irish Penal Rosary became popular.  It could easily be hidden in the hand and up the sleeve. The ring was moved from  one finger at a time (beginning with the thumb). In this process all 5 decades of the rosary were completed.  Dates back to the early 18th century.

CONFIGURATION    -   BEADS    -  SYMBOLS    -  HISTORY

for more information on Penal Rosary see
HUNT MUSEUM (LIMERICK)
IMAGES OF PENAL CROSS FROM 1729
 
 The long cross was believed to be designed to go into the hand more secretly - but some recent information from the Natioual Museum of Ireland, home of the largest collection of Penal crosses tells us that these little crosses were souvenirs from Loch Derg, a holy site, carved from wood. Possibly the shape came from the Tall or High Crosses found all over Ireland symbolize the reaching up to heaven and dating back to the days of St Patrick (4th c).
 

~ CONFIGURATION~

ONE DECADE CHAPLET (I0 AVES & 1 PATER) - 9 in

~ BEADS ~

LITTLE CLOVERS ARE CARVED INTO THE SURFACE OF EACH

~ SYMBOLS on the CRUCIFIX ~

A CRUCIFIX FULL OF SYMBOLS ON OBVERSE AND REVERSE

~ HISTORY ~

Religious persecution in Ireland began under Henry VIII. (1540 till  about 1731)  The local Parliament adopted acts establishing the king's ecclesiastical supremacy, abolishing the pope's jurisdiction, and suppressing religious houses.  A trip through the countryside of Ireland today will yield ruins of monasteries and churches everywhere.  After awhile, one has to ask, what really happened? It is a long and sad history as soon after this came the Potatoe Famine which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children.
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In 1691, King James II signed the Treaty of Limerick. This assured that the Irish Catholics were secure to own their own land, could speak their own language and above all, practice their religion.  History tells us that as soon as he left Ireland, the treaty was broken and all the guarantees above were denied by the English.  Death became the common penalty for attending or celebrating the Mass. Many many Priest and Laity lost their lives in the underground churches.
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These times became known as the 'Penal Times' and the Irish Penal Rosary became popular.
 

see the Workshop's three Penal Rosaries
CIPR.2000  -   CIPR.2010 (bronze) CIPR.2020 (iron)
2010 & 2020 offered with ancient crosses