GRANAGH BALLINGARRY
Parish Information
Céad Míle Fáilte. A warm welcome to all who have moved into our parish, in recent times.
Parish Priest:
Fr. Dan Lane E-mail. danfl@eircom.net
Tel. 069 - 68141.
Mob. 087 - 2533030.
Communion 2019: Granagh: Sat 5th May. Ballingarry: Sat 11th May.
Confirmation: 2019:
PARISH OFFICE: May 2018:
The new parish office is now up and running, located in Ballingarry Church. Secretary, Marian, will be working there on -
First Monday of each month - 3.15pm to 8.15pm ( except bank holidays).
Wednesdays - 3.15 to 7.15pm. Thursdays - 3.15pm to 4.00pm. Please ring Marian for appointment, before calling, on 069 - 68661 or email -
Because of the new Data Protection laws coming into effect, the secretary is bound by these regulations. In effect it means that anything containing personal information, can only be given to the person to whom it belongs. For example, if collecting a Cert, you need to ring beforehand and also provide proof of identity, when collecting.
Sacristans:
Granagh - Kathleen Toomey - 087 - 2833804
Ballingarry - Thomas Lynch - 087 - 6478151
Mass Times:
Weekends:
Saturday - Granagh 7.00pm
Sunday - Ballingarry 10.30am.
Weekday Masses: ( Subject to Change)
Granagh: Wednesdays at 9.30am. Fridays at 7.00pm.
Ballingarry: Tuesday/Thursday @ 10.30am. Wednesday @ 7.00pm.
Adoration:
Granagh: Wednesdays, 10.30am to 4.00pm & Fridays 6pm to 7pm.
Ballingarry: Thursdays, 11am to 12pm & 6pm to 8pm.
Mass Bookings:
Call to Sacristy of each Church.
First Fridays:
Granagh - 7.00pm
Ballingarry - 10.30am
Confessions:
Before First Friday Masses.
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Baptism Preparation:
First Monday each month. Advance booking essential. Contact Cathy between 7 & 8pm on
087-6713928.
Emergency Sick Call Nos.
Croagh 069 - 68418
Rathkeale 069 - 63133
Cloncagh 069 - 83972
Parish Finance Committee:
Jim Houlihan, Jim Chawke, David Sexton, James O'Connor, Fr. Dan, Dan Cagney, Breda Lynch
Property Committee:
Chairman - Kevin Kennedy.
Bereavement Support Group:
Contact - Joan Broderick.
Pastoral Council:
Chairperson:- Noelle Dunworth. Secretary:- Mary Ahern.
Useful Phone Numbers:
Granagh Choir Director:
Roisín Lavery ~ 087 - 2474714.
Granagh Nat.Sch. 061 - 399081.
Ballingarry N.S. 069 - 68402.
Shannon Doc: 1850 212 999
Vincent DePaul: 087-1602110
CURA: 061 - 318207.
A.A. 061 - 311222.
Samaritans: 061 - 412111.
ACCORD: 069 - 61000 NCW
Social Services: 061 - 314111
Pastoral Centre: 061 - 400133.
A Little History:
Granagh is a chapel village. The present church was built in 1831 and is dedicated to St. Joseph. Outside the church there is a Millenium Grotto that was erected to commemorate the year 2000.
Inside the church in Granagh there are stained glass windows to the Risen Christ on the right and to St. Bernadette on the left. There is also a stained glass window of the Crucifixion. Fr Ronald Costello and Joan and Kathleen Monkton donated these windows. The main door of the church has stained glass images that have been donated by various parishioners.
To the right of the altar there is a statue of St. Joseph and on the left there is a statue of Our Lady, both of these were donated by Dan and Ann Moran. A plaque asks people to pray for Mary Bridget Hederman whose husband gave the altar rails in 1909.
There is also a large stained glass window behind the altar that depicts Mary on the left, the Sacred Heart in the centre and St. Joseph and infant on the right. The Baptismal font to the left of the altar was given by the people to commemorate the centenary of Archdeacon Lyons in 1993.
Buried in the grounds of the church is: Dermot McCarthy C.C. 1983-1990
Died August 10 1993, aged 74.
The church in Kilmacow (Kylmocho was the old name) was dedicated to St. Colman and the feast day of the church was on October 29th.
Begley gave the dimensions of the church as 58 feet by 18 feet 3 inches. It was believed to be a very old church. There was also supposed to have been an abbey in Kilmacow but the site of this abbey is unknown.
The church ruin in Seanabotha is now barely visible in the graveyard,which overlooks the church in Granagh. It is believed that St. Maidoc or Aidan of Ferns founded the church. From Begley's work we find that the church in Senboth (as it was then called) was then a ruin and the walls of the church were nearly levelled to the ground.
Lewis records a church in Knockfierna from 1837 but there is no trace of any church now. There was also reputedly an ancient church called Stuadhraicin, which was on the hill of Knockfierna.
Kilmacanearla is the site of a church ruin and in 1903 Westropp measured the church as 15 feet of the west wall and 32 feet of the south wall. Most of the church fell in the storm of January 6th 1839. The site of the church is now marked by a clump of trees on a piece of raised ground.
In Granagh the present graveyard, opened in the 1950s, and is well kept.
The graveyard at Sheanbhotha (or Shanavoha) overlooks the present church in Granagh. In this large graveyard there are several tombs. The oldest headstone that we found was dedicated to Owen Carroll, who died on October 7 1790, aged 71.
Holy Wells
Danaher also says there was another St. Patrick's well in Coolrus. The well was a strong spring that was surrounded by thorn bushes and rags were left on the bushes. The water was meant to cure sore eyes. St. Patrick blessed the well and the well moved when clothes were washed in the well.
The final well that is mentioned in Danaher's "Holy Wells of Co. Limerick" is in the Granagh side of the parish. The well is called the Blessed well and is in the townland of Graigacurragh. The small well is about 400 yards from Granagh church. No devotions are remembered and the water is said to cure stomach disorders if drunk before breakfast.
There is also a Sunday's well at Lissyfine, which was situated on side of Liskennett hill, and it was never known to go dry. The water was said to cure diseases of the eye.
Holy Cross
In the Holy Year of 1950 a cross was erected on the hill of Knockfierna. The cross is surrounded at the base by the stones of the ancient cairn, which may have been used in the building of Stuadhraicin.
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HARVEST MASS 2017:
Many thanks to all those who arranged the harvest celebration and those who donated foodstuffs at Mass last weekend.
To represent the fruits of the harvest with locally produced goods: Sheila Sexton brought potatoes to the alter. Liam Herlihy brought a tankard of milk. Norina Sheehan brought a jar of honey. Eimhin O'Regan brought some eggs. Diarmuid & Eoghan Kiely brought apples & nuts from the orchard. The Confirmation class - Thomas Toomey, Chloe Hartigan Jack Ahern & Benjamin Houlihan displayed a beautiful piece of artwork as their contribution. All food collected will be given to the Simon Community and the local St. Vincent de Paul, to distribute to those in need.
Harvest Mass 2016:
Sincere thanks to all who brought their offerings to Mass last weekend. A long queue, waited to present the food donations, during the Offertory. The newly formed youth choir brought their gift of song, with the help of Roisín and Natalie. It is such a practical way of sharing our abundance of food and gifts with the less fortunate. Once again people were extremely generous with their donation of food. Thank you.
Harvest Mass 2015:
There was a huge response to the Harvest appeal for the homeless and impoverished people of Limerick city.
In excess of 1,000 food items were placed before the alter.
Some of these included - 150 boxes of Beans. 94 pkts of Biscuits.
63 tins of fish. 84 pkts of soup. 30 jars of Coffee. 30kilos Sugar.
37 bags of Porridge. 39 pkts Cereals. 61 tins of Vegetables.
67 tins of Fruit. 53 pkts Tea. 53 tins of Peas. 51 pkts of Pasta.
53 jars of Sauces. 39 pkts Jelly. 29 pots of Jam. 37 tins of Rice.
Also people donated bags of Potatoes, cabbage, carrots, turnips, parsnips, cauliflower, onions, apples, oranges, bananas, tomatoes and sweets.
One third of this was passed to the local conference of Vincent De Paul and the balance was received by NOVAS, who are currently providing hot meals to the homeless.