Don’t take our priest!
Parishioners left distraught as beloved cleric is sent to new parish
A COMMUNITY has launched a campaign to keep their parish priest, who through his work has brought the ‘community closer together’. Fr Hugh Kavanagh, from Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, has been asked to move from East Wall parish in inner city Dublin to Neilstown in west Dublin, to take up a vacant post left by a former priest who is now in a relationship with a woman. Parishioners claim, Fr Hugh, who has been in East Wall for the last five years, has been instrumental in helping the parish heal, after a number of local children were sexually abused by a serial paedophile once based there.
Last week, a petition signed by more than 1,400 locals was handed into Archbishop Diarmuid Martin along with dozens of personnel letters asking that Fr Hugh remain in the parish.
Yesterday, locals praised the work carried out by Fr Hugh, and highlighted how he organised a peaceful rally to condemn the Hutch/Kinahan gang feud that has seen a number of locals shot dead. He has also brought the community together after Fr Noel Reynolds sexually abused dozens of children in the area nearly 30 years ago – the affects of which are still felt by locals.
During the summer, Fr David Halpin, who was based in Clondalkin’s Neilstown parish hit the headlines when he announced he was leaving the Church to pursue romance after falling in love.
The Irish Daily Mail understands that Archbishop Diarmuid Martin struggled to find a replacement for Fr Halpin’s position.
When approached, Fr Hugh Kavanagh accepted the position and made the announcement at weekend Mass recently.
He is now expected to leave his parish at the end of September.
Speaking to the Mail last night, Fr Kavanagh said: ‘I really enjoyed my time in East Wall, they are wonderful people and a beautiful community, and I will really miss the people here.
‘However, the archbishop has asked me to go to Clondalkin and I will embrace the new challenge. I’m sure I’ll find wonderful people there, too.’
But yesterday dozens of locals refused to accept that Fr Hugh has to leave his parish, and said they were planning to protest on Saturday at 3pm at the archbishop’s house in Drumcondra.
The priest’s housekeeper, Helen McCulloch said: ‘I know him from all the good work he’s done in the parish. He provides pastoral care for anyone who needs it. He organised a march in the city centre because of the feud.
‘The kids love him, the teenagers love him. Even when we were organising a petition a little one said to us how sad she was that Fr Hugh was leaving.
‘He opened up the church gardens to the older retired men and to the younger kids. He’s a very kind man who is very involved in his community. He has brought people back to the Church. He’s the first priest of the people that we’ve had, he is there for us..
Red Rock actress Lorna Meade, 19, who played Aoife Burke in the hit series, said she was ‘upset’ to hear of the priest’s move.
‘Fr Hugh is probably the nicest priest I’ve ever met in my life. He gives everyone a chance, he includes you. At Christmas time, he knocks on all the houses, he checks if people are okay.’
Her father John, 50, added: ‘East Wall is a community area so it’s all about a community base for the old people and the young people and that’s what Fr Hugh is all about. He’s integrated with everyone. Very few priests have the understanding to do that.’
Local Sinn Féin councillor Gabrielle Dunne said: ‘He’s a huge asset to this community. I have never known a response in the community like this. A lot of people don’t go to Mass, yet everyone knows Fr Hugh.
Local mother Ina O’Connor, 29 said: ‘He has put the light back into the Church for me, I’ve found it so difficult with the Church recently but he is so inclusive, he’s brought me closer to God.
‘We only moved in a year ago, he’s the best priest ever. I’ve three little children and I bring them to church and he is so supportive.’
Regular Massgoer, Bridie Conlan, 88, said: ‘I’m living here since I was a year and a half. I love Fr Hugh, he is a great man, but he works too hard, he never gives himself a minute.’
‘I will embrace the new challenge’ ‘He’s the nicest priest I’ve met’