Ballinspittle
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Ballinspittle (Irish: Béal Átha an Spidéil) is a village in County Cork, Ireland. It is in the parish of Courceys and lies about 8km (5 miles) south-west of Kinsale. In the summer of 1985, Ballinspittle received national and international attention when some locals claimed to have witnessed a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary moving spontaneously. As news of the phenomenon spread, thousands of pilgrims and spectators flocked to the site of the statue. Many of the visitors claimed that they observed similar movements. The best known visitor to the shrine who observed the phenomenon was Rev. Ian Paisley, who stated that it had served to deepen his devotion to Our Lady. The Free Presbyterian Church now organises a pilgrimage to the town which takes place on 12th July each year. The pilgrims are accompanied by a flute band and Lambeg drummers. The Catholic Clergy in Ireland maintained a neutral stance regarding the authenticity of the claims. The phenomenon was never scientifically confirmed.
