End of an era as final Sunday Mass is celebrated at Limerick church

REGULAR Sunday Masses in a County Limerick church have been discontinued reflecting the “changing times we are going through.”

After 219 years, last Sunday marked the final weekly Mass at St Patrick’s Church, Anglesboro.

Around 40 parishioners attended the Mass which began at 9.30am.

As parish priest, Fr Dick Kelly, is currently unwell, Fr Tom Egan, a retired priest of the diocese, celebrated the final Sunday Mass in the church.

According to Leader notes correspondent Patrick English, Sunday morning Mass at Anglesboro has had a long legacy, dating back to 1804 when it was first held in a small rectangular church with a thatched roof.

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“At this time, the Penal Laws were in existence and worship of the Catholic faith was forbidden under British Rule.

“In 1832, three years after Daniel O’Connell had won Catholic Emancipation, two side aisles were added to the church.

“The first burials did not take place until 1943, where before that people from the area were interred in the old graveyard in Kilbehenny or in Galbally,” he stated.

Going forward, Mass will be celebrated in St Patrick’s Church, Anglesboro on Saturdays at 8pm.

Weekly Mass will be celebrated at St Joseph’s Church, Kilbehenny at 8pm on Saturdays and on Sundays at 11am.