Parishioners restore statue of Our Lady

SUPERB craftmanship by two parishioners restored a beloved statue of Our Lady, just a week after she was badly damaged by an act of mindless vandalism.

As previously reported in The Echo, the vandalism took place at St Mark’s Church, Tallaght, late on Saturday night into Sunday morning on May 13/14, and caused much upset in the community.

Installed at the outset of Covid in March 2020, the Our Lady statue provided much needed solace and a place of prayer for people who couldn’t attend Mass or church during lockdowns.

Damage looked too irreparable but tell that to Christy Connolly and Christy Osbourne, two local parishioners, who did God’s work and returned the Blessed Mother to her rightful place on Tuesday morning.

Fr Pat McKinley, moderator for the Springfield parish of St Mark’s, was delighted with the turn of events.

Fr McKinley at the blessing of the statue on Tuesday morning

“She is back in place and looking better than ever,” said Fr McKinley, who also oversees parishes in Fettercairn, Jobstown and Brookfield.

“We are very lucky here with the gifted people we have in the parish. Christy Connolly restored her, and Christy Osbourne prepared a permanent plinth underneath to reinstate her. God Bless. She looks great.”

Fr McKinley praised the sterling work of the two men.

“The two look after the maintenance of the four parishes and the parish centres. If the work is larger and requires outside help, they organise that. They might be in their late 60s but they are both very fit, much fitter than me!

“Christy Connolly’s wife Una did the maintenance for the Our Lady statue over the last two years. We blessed her (Our Lady statue) this morning, people stopped in their cars to show support.”