The Country’s First Copper-Domed Buddhist Temple Is Being Built In West Cork

A sensational Tibetan-style temple is being built overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in West Cork.

The endeavour will cost nearly €2 million to complete.

The design is completely authentic, but accommodates views of the vast Irish ocean to add the Emerald Isle charm.

The temple celebrates 30 years of Buddhism in Co Cork.

The charity (Dzogchen Beara) runs the tranquil retreat, using all the ways of a traditional style temple, but with the addition of 360 degree views of the Atlantic.

An English couple are responsible for the temple, choosing the beautiful Beara peninsula to build the Buddhist meditation centre.

Peter and Harriet Cornish visited the area in 1973, and came across a 150-acre site on the coast between Allihies and Castletownbere, which they fell completely in love with it.

By 1986, they had built a large central house and six smaller ones, constructed roads, installed electricity and water, and planted 15,000 trees.

According to the Irish Examiner, in July of that year they invited Tibetan lama Sogyal Rinpoche to lead the first weekend retreat, who then returned to teach again a few months later.

The following year, Rinpoche was asked to become spiritual director of the centre, giving it the name Dzogchen Beara.

The centre was formally handed over by the couple to him in 1992 and Dzogchen Beara then became a charity.

The charity welcomes people of all faiths and no faith - meaning anyone can come to its twice-daily meditation sessions or stay for a while in any of its homes.

Dzogchen Beara opened a Spiritual Care Centre back in 2009, which welcomes people for care breaks and specially-designed courses, as well as support groups for those who are living with terminal illness, disability and loss.

Centre director, Malcom MacClancy had this to say about the charity:

If people need a break and don’t have the resources then the charity will look after that.