Special procession to grotto in South Offaly on this Friday night

THERE will be a very special event taking place on this Friday August 15^th (Feast of the Assumption) from the Citeaux Hall, Ballyskenach (E53 AE02) at 6.45pm.

There will be a Marian Procession to Our Lady's Grotto in Clybenane, arriving at 7pm. This will incorparate a 600 metre walk together to the site where there will a few short prayers led by local clergy. There will be Holy Water from the Holy Well itself to take home also.

Then the procession will return to the Hall. There will be an exhibition on the history of the procession over the years plus more and there will also be refreshments served. This event will mark 50 years since the resumption of the Procession back in 1975.

Back then in Roscrea People, Kathleen O`Meara RIP gave a brief history of the orgin of the well. "It was Saint Patrick who founded Our Lady's Well. It is said that on the death of Odhran, his charioteer, near Killeigh, St Patrick returned to the spot known as Clybenane and interred Odhran's remains in that place. In reality, the grave is quite close to the actual well. Because of this, the well is sometimes known as the Well of St Patrick's Coachman."

This event coincides with the Jubilee Year of Hope and is a way of the wider Ballyskenach community to mark it.

Due to declining accessibility to the Grotto in recent times this procession was moved into the Monastery grounds, and took place there for the past two decades. They thank the Delaney Family, Mountheaton for all their support in restablishing access into the site. They encourage all to join them as they mark this historic occasion of local cultural hertitage by the Our Lady of Citeaux Praesiduim of the Legion of Mary & Citeaux Hall Committee. Please bring suitable footwear. They hope to see you all there.

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