Congratulations to Sheila Cahalane, Cork (and Dunmanway) and Felix O’Neill, Knocks, who celebrated Christian Marriage yesterday at Ahiohill Church.
The best man was John O’Neill and Kathleen O’Donovan was matron of honour.
Archdeacon Kerry Murphy-O’Connor was the principal celebrant.
Welcome to Enniskeane Parish, Sheila!
Please pray for the peaceful repose of Pat Walsh, Keel, Enniskeane, who has died.
In accordance with HSE and Government Guidelines, a private Requiem Mass will take place at the Church of the Assumption, Ahiohill on Saturday, August 15th 2020, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.
Pat’s funeral cortège will arrive at The Church of the Assumption, Ahiohill, on Saturday, August 15th 2020, at 1.40pm for a private Requiem Mass.May he rest in peace.
The year 1858 was a milestone year for this faith community. It was the first year that the area now known as Enniskeane and Desertserges was joined as one parish with one parish priest.
In that year, Fr Domhnal Ó Súileabháin, a great Irish scholar who was born at the edge of the Warrenscourt Estate near Kilmurry, died as Parish Priest of Kinneigh. He would be the last priest to have that title. He was buried beside the chapel where he had said Mass and administered the sacraments – where Shamrock Cottage was built as a presbytery in Enniskeane.
An tAthair Ó Súileabháin had arrived here from Bandon in 1845 and was to serve in the difficult Famine years. His dedication to the people in his care in those years is reflected in the fact that 14 years after his death, his remains were exhumed and reinterred under the altar of the new church in Enniskeane when it was dedicated in 1872. A plaque near Our Lady’s Shrine records his burial place. He died 160 years ago this year.
The dedication of his contemporary in Desertserges during the Famine, Fr Timothy O’Donovan PP, is similarly recorded on a plaque in Ahiohill church. At the time of Fr. Ó Súileabháin’s death, instead of appointing a new PP to Kinneigh /Enniskeane, Bishop Delany changed the appointment of the then Parish Priest of Desertserges Fr Denis O’Donoghue and appointed him to be the first Parish Priest of Enniskeane and Desertserges. He had been in Desertserges as PP since 1856 and was a native of Bandon. He ministered here until his death in 1867.
When Maynooth College opened its door to student priests in 1795, Maurice Roche and John Allen were the first Cork students to enrol in the Maynooth, Co. Kildare, college. They were ordained priests of Cork diocese in 1800.
Maurice Roche’s first appointment was as curate in Watergrasshill Parish on the north-east corner of the diocese. A while later he transferred to one of the Bandon churches where he served as curate until 1817 when he was appointed Parish Priest of the nearby parish of Desertserges.
During his time in Ahiohill, the present Church of the Assumption of Our Lady was erected and it was dedicated for worship in 1832 – just a few years after Catholic Emancipation.
Fr Roche served in the parish until his death on April 11th, 1839. He was buried just beside the southern wall of the church whose building he had supervised.
His burial place was marked with a raised limestone slab which was engraved witht he following inscription:-
IHS
Beneath This Stone Are Deposited The Remains Of The Rev Maurice Roche
22 Years PP of Desertserges, He Died April 11 Ad1839
Requiescat in Pacem
As the writing was almost illegible by 2016 and the grave was in disrepair, a new limestone slab with the same engraving was commissioned from Pat O’Sullivan and Sons of Clonakilty. It will ensure that Fr Roche’s memory ir preserved for another few generations to come.
The Bible tells us that its “a holy and wholesome thought” to pray for the dead. It’s also an important part of our Christian and Irish tradition that we honour and respect the burial places of people who have died. And this includes the graves of people who no longer have relatives among us.
Recently, the burial place of of one of one of the priests who served the Parish of Desertserges during the Great Hunger has been restored.
Fr. Thomas M. Haynes was ordained to the priesthood at Bayeux, France, and came to this parish from Lower Glanmire – which would correspond to all of the present day Glanmire Parish. Local legend maintains that Fr. Haynes died soon after an exorcism – expelling an evil spirit from a terrible woman – ”Maire Gaedhlach”, who lived locally. In fact, he died at the height of the Famine on 6/6/1847.
The Cork Examiner of June 14th carried the following report:- “On Sunday, 6th inst., of fever caught in the faithful discharge of his arduous ministerial duties, Rev. T. Haynes, P.P., Deserserges, near Bandon, beloved and respected by all who had the pleasure of his aquaintance. He lived the poor man’s friend and died the faithful devoted priest of the Altar to which he was so long and worthly attached.”
Until recently, his gravestone looked like this:-
The original limestone headstone has been preserved but carefully cleaned and restored by Charles O’Sullivan, Clonakilty. It is 170 years since Fr Haynes died. New kerbs and chips have also been laid.
May Fr Haynes and all who have gone before us rest in eternal peace.
You are most welcome to join in prayer for any or all of the Holy Week ceremonies. Click the link below to see the timetable in full.
