Newly ordained former Garda returns to lead Harvest service

A RECENTLY ordained reverend in the Church of Ireland will be returning to his hometown of Tallaght this weekend to lead a service as part of the Harvest Festival in St Maelruain’s Church.

Rev Mike Buchanan has had an interesting path to the priesthood, having worked as a Garda in stations including Ballyfermot and Ronanstown for 21 years, before retiring in 2021.

He was raised in Seskin View and attended a Christian Brothers’ school in Dolphin’s Barn before deciding to become a guard, but he was encouraged to pursue a theological life from a young age.

“When I was in secondary school, they asked me to join the Christian Brothers, but I wasn’t interested,” he told The Echo.

“Theologically, it didn’t fit with me, and the non-ordination of women was an alien concept to me.”

Rev Buchanan later became an Anglican and his extensive work as a community guard, which he was repeatedly drawn to, influenced his decision to pursue a life of ministry.

“I joined the guards with the expectation that I’d be running around and arresting people, but for some reason I was more drawn to working with people, such as people who were elderly or socially challenged,” he said.

When he was serving in the guards, Rev Buchanan, who lives in Louth, regularly attended his local Anglican church in Dunleer and his desire to be a part of the clergy grew.

“I had been exploring the idea of ordination, and in 2021 I was put forward for selection in ministry,” he recalled.

“So, in 2021, I retired from the guards on the Tuesday and started studying on the Friday.”

Last September, Rev Buchanan was ordained in St Mary’s Church in Navan marking a seminal highpoint in his path to the priesthood.

“It was slightly surreal to be called reverend afterwards,” he said, “but it was a huge privilege and a very emotional day.”

Rev Buchanan has been invited by Canon William Deverill to preach at a service in St Maelruain’s this Sunday at 11am for the Harvest Festival, and the new reverend is looking forward to it.

“It’s lovely privilege to be asked to come and preach at the harvest,” Rev Buchanan said.

“I’ll be talking about the spiritual harvest, rather than an agricultural one!

“It’s slightly surreal to be going back to Tallaght.

“I went to join the guards back when the old Garda station was beside St Maelruain’s.

“I never would’ve imagined, back in the day, that I would’ve ended up preaching up the road from it.”

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