Poignant day as popular Parish Priest bids farewell to Offaly parish

IT WAS a poignant day on Sunday when Fr Michael Kennedy told his parishioners that he is leaving Lusmagh Parish for good, after eleven years in the role of Parish Priest.

This means that for the first time in about three centuries Lusmagh will be without a Parish Priest.

Lusmagh is the only parish in Offaly to be part of the Diocese of Clonfert and Fr Kennedy pointed out that from now on all occasions in St Cronan's Church Lusmagh (masses, communions, baptisms, etc) will be looked after by clergy travelling from Portumna.

Fr Kennedy has been a popular Parish Priest in Lusmagh and he will be greatly missed. He grew up nearby, in Rathcabbin, and was ordained in 1977.

Fr Kieran Birmingham paid a humorous but heartfelt tribute to Fr Michael during mass on Sunday morning.

“One day I was chatting to someone in Rathcabbin and they said to me You have one of our great men looking after the parish over there in Lusmagh!”

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Fr Kieran said it was obvious that Fr Michael was held in great regard in the place where he grew up.

Fr Michael told the Tribune that he served many years in parishes in London, including Westminster and Cricklewood. He returned to Ireland 11 years ago and when he heard that Lusmagh would be without a PP he put forward his name to fill the role.

During the last 11 years he has also frequently overseen retreats in Emmanuel House, Clonfert, along with Eddie Stones.
Fr Michael said he will greatly miss his Lusmagh parishioners who, he said, have an amazing community spirit, a very important quality which he hopes they will never lose.

Fr Michael will now be moving to Eyrecourt. There will be a final thanksgiving mass for his ministry, in St Cronan's Lusmagh on Friday evening, July 18.

Fr Kieran Birmingham will oversee Saturday evening masses in the church for the next few weeks.