George Melamphy - Ventry 11

THE SPIRIT STONES OF GEORGE MELAMPHY It appears George Mellamphy, carving messages of hope for those in need who crossed his path. The beach at Ventry marks the beginning of a Pilgrim Path to the sacred Mount Brandon. George used little private symbols; the inverted triangle represents the Holy Spirit; the others are known only to those for whom he prayed. What an extraordinary gift! Hearing of some random “rock art” near Wine Strand, I went to photograph it, but the artist’s hand had a vague familiarity. This was no 2000 B.C rock art but was another carved by George’s hand George Mellamphy died in August 2011. He was a man of many parts, dedicated to his wife Patricia and their family, art teacher, powerful tenor, member of the Cork Examiner team, but most importantly, a man whose memory brought a smile to every face.