George Melamphy - Ventry 8

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.