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The statement follows recent cases that included;
A Cork TD urging people to ignore rumours about a 'secret IPAS centre' that was actually opening as a creche
Thugs vandalising a construction site on the northside of Cork city after rumours spread it was 'for refugees' - in reality, it was social housing.
Reports of a 'foreign man with a samurai sword' on Cork's northside - who turned out to be a well-known local 'character'.
Now the Church of Ireland, Carrigrohane Union of Parishes has had to issue a statement after rumours started circulating on Facebook and TikTok that the church in Blarney Square was 'housing up to 40-50 foreign nationals'.
The rumours might strike most people as highly unlikely - churches are not designed to house 40-50 people for any period of time, and there is - obviously - no way any church would be given permission to host people in such unsuitable conditions.
However, researchers studying the growing threat of malicious rumours spread online say they can catch out people who are vulnerable, who may lack the critical thinking skills needed to spot glaringly obvious falsehoods, or who may simply want these kinds of rumours to be true, whatever the actual reality.
The rumours have real-world consequences, as has been seen with serious incidents of vandalism in Cork or shocking violence like the attempted firebombing of a house in Drogheda in November last, in which people, including 4 children and a 20-month-old baby, were sleeping.
In Blarney, the Church of Ireland Rector, Canon Robert Ferris, told CorkBeo that he hoped his statement would be enough to counter the rumours spreading on social media.
In his message to his parish and beyond, Rev Ferris said: "Recent reports circulating on TikTok regarding the Church of Ireland church in Blarney Square are completely false. There is no one residing in the church."
"As Rector, I want to reassure the people of Blarney that the church has recently reopened following a planned renovation to address damp issues. We are delighted to have this much-loved building back in regular use.
The Church of the Resurrection is open for public worship on the first and third Sundays. of each month and continues to be used throughout the week for prayer, community activities, baptisms, weddings and funerals.
We are grateful for the continued support of the local community and encourage anyone with questions to contact the parish directly rather than relying on inaccurate information shared online."
The Rector said he hoped people would stop spreading - or responding to - malcious rumours that are distressing for the whole community in Blarney.