Mayo/Doonane community celebrates St Mary’s Church bicentenary
Bicentenary Mass of Thanksgiving for St Marys Church Mayo, 1826 - 2026 Photos: Aisling Hyland
ST Mary’s Church in the village of Mayo on the Laois-Carlow border, celebrated its 200th anniversary on Sunday 4 October.
For the thanksgiving service, a special altar was constructed in the church’s graveyard. Building the special altar was a proper community effort as Jimmy and Liam Lawler did the stonework, Mike Murphy fabricated the side into the shape of a cross and the stone itself was donated by Liam Brophy from Crettyard Stone.
Micheal Brennan, a member of the committee that organised the celebration, said that the clergy offered Mass “for departed family members and friends.” The Mass was presided over by Bishop Denis Nulty and concelebrated by Frs Pádraig Shelley and Jimmy O’Reilly.
Bishop Nulty’s homily referred to the historically much larger local population when the First Communion class had approximately 80 children.
Micheal described the atmosphere as one of “celebration, remembrance, community and connection.” There was much reflection on the people who had worshipped, been baptised, confirmed, married and buried there over the last 200 years.
There was an inter-denominational element to the celebrations with Rev Paul Fitzpatrick attending. Representing Mayo Church of Ireland community, Thomas O’Neill presented the parish with a new communion bowl, which was crafted by Harry Cornelissen from a yew tree in the nearby Church of Ireland graveyard.
“The bowl serves as a reminder of the good relationship between the two faith communities over the years.” Micheal said.
After the ceremony, there was a community gathering at St Abban’s premises where a special cake, which had a picture of the church printed on its icing, was shared by the community.
The church is believed to date to the end of Penal times in Ireland by Thomas Cobden, who also built Carlow cathedral.
“It’s a cruciform church, which was unusual at that time because, normally, they were barren churches” Micheal Brennan said.
See more photos by Aisling Hyland in this week's Laois Nationalist newspaper on sale from tomorrow in local stores or online.
