Fr Dan worth far more than his weight in gold
A REMARK by a parishioner that Monsignor Dan O’Riordan, aka Fr Dan, was worth his weight in gold to the area of his ministry sent parish chairman Jack Shanahan in a search for the price of the precious metal.
He found, in the course of preparations for his speech, that it was set at over €1,000 per ounce for last week – at least.
However, he divulged to the packed church on Wednesday night that Fr Dan is worth far more than that.
Mr Shanahan’s observations are based on a close working relationship with the County Cork-born priest since he moved to Castleisland as PP in 2008.
Ordained at 25 years of age, 50 years ago this month, Fr Dan told his congregation that he never considered any other career choice and that he had several family influences in his decision making.
Fellow priests from all over the Diocese of Kerry, and friends from near and far, converged on Castleisland on Wednesday evening for Fr Dan’s golden anniversary of his ordination by Bishop Moynihan in Killarney in June 1968.
Fr Dan himself remarked at a pre-jubilee mass gathering at the River Island that many people had travelled very long distances to be there on his big day.
It was a day he hoped would pass him by and go unnoticed.
Advice from his friends in the parish persuaded him that a day like this would also be good for the people who flocked to be with him on the occasion.
The Castleisland Parish Choir was in great voice for the Mass, and he was accompanied on the Altar by Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne, former Bishop Bill Murphy and as many priests as the space allowed.
By the wonders of modern technology, the whole ceremony can be found and viewed by checking the link here: https://www.churchservices.tv/castleisland/archive/recordings/.