Special service to mark 70th year of church
A SPECIAL service and remembrance celebration was held this week to mark the 70th year anniversary of Our Lady of Assumption Church in Ballyfermot.
Ballyfermot Heritage Group organised a number of speakers to address the crowd at the event, including people who were at the very first Mass in the Assumption Church on March 15, 1953.
Among those were Noel Clark, the First Sacristan in 1953, and Deirdre Quigley Farrell, who was at the first Mass with her mother.
Other speakers include Sean Sherwin, who lived next door to the church on Colepark Drive, Margaret Canning, one of the longest serving members of the church choir, and Mary Keogh Fagan, who spoke of her family’s involvement wth the church.
Also mentioned was the late Nicky Brennan, who volunteered at the church for 60 years and sadly passed in 2015.
Fr Adrian Egan, parish priest, Our Lady of Assumption Church, said it was a “lovely” night with lit candles to remember all in the wider community.
“A candle was lit for all the pioneering people who came to live in Ballyfermot, another candle for all who were baptized, made their First Holy Communion, got married,” said Fr Egan.
“We lit a candle for all who were hurt and abused, it is important to remember the sorrow and regret. We lit a candle for all our friends, from the past, and all our friends into the future.”
Ken Larkin, from Ballyfermot Heritage Group, said they wanted to thank all the speakers for sharing their memories of the early years of the church.
“We would also like to tank Fr Adrian Egan, Fr Seamus Devitt, Margaret Kileen and Ann Marie Murray who hosted the service,” said Ken.
Following the service, the church committee served tea, coffee and refreshments, with Bernie Kennelly making a beautiful anniversary cake which featured an image of the church on the cake.
The service was enhanced by performances from the church choir and Ballyfermot Folk Group.
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