Search Results for 'priest'

The trial of a priest charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy on two separate occasions in the west of Ireland more than 40 years ago has been deferred.

I’ve been reading again, for the first time in many years, Graham Greene’s novels, and in particular Brighton Rock, one of his earliest and still one of his finest, a new film of which is soon to be released.

RITA ANN Higgins has been one of the most individual and outspoken voices in Irish poetry for the last 25 years and her poetic journey continues with the publication of the ‘part essay, part rhyme’, Hurting God, a fascinating refection on family, religion, memory, and community.

Of the group of 17th century poets, including John Donne and Andrew Marvel, to which Dr Johnson gave the name ‘metaphysical’, George Herbert is probably nowadays the least read.

Last Easter Sunday, I was privileged to attend a dawn Mass, near Cong, on the Lough Corrib shore. About 300 people stood close to a blazing fire, as daybreak slowly lifted the darkness revealing the wide expanse of water, its wooded islands, and in the distance, the mountains of the Maam valley. It was perfectly silent and peaceful. Fr Ray Flaherty welcomed us with these opening words: ‘It was here many saints like Meldon, Fursey, Brendan and Feichin made their homes of peace and prayer. There are many sanctuaries scattered today in ruins along the shores of this lake, silent ruins where the soft tones of bells and the church’s solemn chant floated over the waves...’

An 82-year-old priest has been sent forward for trial to the next sitting of Galway Circuit Criminal Court on two counts of sexual assault.

Declan O’Rourke is rare in that he is a singer-songwriter who can actually play the guitar. His unique and intricate guitar style endears him to all who have the pleasure of listening to his positive and upbeat songs.

SINCE THE early Irish monks began laboriously to compile the Annals of Ireland the writing of the ‘History of Ireland’ has become something of a national sport for academics, historians, retired schoolteachers, journalists, with the odd eccentric thrown in for good measure.

The monthly Mass of St Padre Pio will be in Swinford Parish Church on Wednesday August 4 at 7.30pm.

Some weeks ago I wrote that probably the greatest muster of the Irish Gaelic lords that ever gathered on a battlefield took their place on either side at Knockdoe, Co Galway, on August 19 1504. The O’Donnells and the O’Neills, from their great northern fiefdoms, fought for law and order on the side of the Earl of Kildare who successfully imposed the king’s rule on his rebellious and quarrelsome son-in-law the Earl of Clanricard, Ulick de Burgh (Burke) of Claregalway castle. Ulick’s marriage to Kildare’s daughter, and his disregard for her, gave the Earl a personal reason for the battle; but his allies were equally anxious to display their loyalty to King Henry VII, the undisputed king of England after the protracted and bloody Wars of the Roses.