Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche, a uniquely qualified Tibetan master, recently travelled to Dzogchen Beara, the Tibetan retreat centre near Allihies, to consecrate the site.
Rinpoche conducted a pacifying “Jinsek”, or fire ceremony, which Dzogchen Beara's director, Matt Padwick described as being 'traditional at this stage of the project in order to eliminate any negative or harmful influences.'
A few hundred people gathered for the ceremony around a ‘peace pole’, a timber pole that was erected at the central point of the site and bears the legend 'May peace prevail on earth' in English, Irish and Tibetan.
Matt Padwick told The Southern Star that Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche, together with Sogyal Rinpoche the spiritual director of Dzogchen Beara, has closely guided every aspect the building location, orientation, design and detail, in order to integrate the most authentic Tibetan traditions with the best, and most appropriate, modern building techniques.
Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche has been advising on the project from the outset, using the ancient art of geomancy and following the advice laid down in traditional texts.
Geomancy, described as a divination that employs the scattering of pebbles, grains of sand, or seeds, on the earth and then the interpretation of their shape and position, was central to the plans that were submitted to Cork County Council.
Meanwhile, architect Giles Oliver, who alongside his colleague Bob Whiteside also had a key role to play in drawing the plans for the new temple, said he was pleased that the local authority had approved the plans for ‘this small wildly attractive thing at the end of a long path.’
Inspired by the consecration ceremony, Giles Oliver said: ‘This is how all temples should begin, out of doors, in a clearing in the trees.’
Ireland’s first Tibetan temple will be distinctive in many ways, including its copper roof. To have a copper roof is traditional in Tibet, but it is likely to have special resonance locally, considering that Allihies was once a major centre for copper mining.