Archbishop’s ‘great honour’
ARCHBISHOP of Armagh Eamon Martin said ir was a ‘great honour’ to be part of the 140th anniversary of the first mass in the Dominican Church. He concelebrated the ceremony at the local church, which was earmarked for closure four years ago.
ONE could sense the pride Archbishop Eamon Martin has in the church of St Mary Magdalene on Dominick Street.
Addressing the congregation at a special mass to mark the 140th anniversary of the first mass in the church - celebrated by then Archbishop McGettigan - he admired the murals looking down at him.
‘ The striking features are the images of Mary Magdalene,’ he stated, adding that it was a ‘great honour’ to be at the ceremony, celebrating 140 years of worship at the church.
He said the gathering connected with the people who have come to the Dominican for the past 14 decades, on ‘ happy and sad occasions’.
The Archbishop was presented with a special gift of an engraved mirror, stating it was ‘a wonderful gift’.
He also handed out special medals, with the image of Pope Francis, to long serving members of the Dominican community, Mena Reilly, Peggy James and Olive Brady.
Fr Jim Donleavy outlined the remarkable history of the church and the man behind it, Fr Meadthe.
He said when the Dominicans came to Drogheda in the 13th century, Ireland was the end of the world as America hadn’t been discovered.
They established Magdalene Tower and in 1394, Richard II of England came there to meet the northern chiefs.
Cromwell beheaded two Dominicans on West St, Richard Overton and Dominic Dillon, the Black Death ravaged the community centuries before that, but still the Dominicans remained.
‘It is your church, your forebears built it and maintained it,’ he said. The glorious roof was completed with handsaws and chisels.
He said he hopes people will still be coming to the Dominican in the years ahead.
Earlier, Meath CC chairman and ONE member Tom Kelly laid a wreath at a new plaque in the church grounds, honouring members of the organisation. Mayor Frank Godfrey also attended, along with St John Ambulance.