A County Galway church has decided to donate a chalice, which was owned by a prominent cleric and Irish language writer, to a local heritage centre.
The Milltown Heritage Centre Committee had long hoped to get the chalice of Fr Liam O'Beirn for its collection of artefacts of local importance.
Now, Lavally Pastoral Council has agreed to give the chalice - which was donated to their church when it opened in 1948 – to the Centre.
Fr O'Beirn was given the chalice when he was ordained in 1899 and it has the wedding ring of his parents and coins they exchanged on their wedding day soldered onto it.
As a gesture of thanks for the chalice, Milltown Heritage Centre has donated a vestment to the church, which has also received an alternative chalice.
A native of Milltown, Fr O'Beirn, or ‘An Beirneach’ as he was known to Irish speakers, was a prolific writer of essays and stories in Irish and a collection of his short stories appeared in 1926.
He wrote under an assortment of pen names such as An Fear Mór Maol and Mac Pharaic
Naomhtha and his best-known book was titled Seo Siúd.
He also acted a judge at Irish feiseanna and was an avid collector of songs, all the while serving as a priest of the Tuam archdiocese.
Frank Glynn of Milltown Heritage Centre said he was delighted that Lavally Parish Council had decided to donate the chalice.
“It will be another valuable item to add to our extensive collection,” he remarked.
The caretaker of the church, Ms Maureen Riggs, said, “We are happy to give the chalice to Milltown, it is fitting that it will be located where Fr O'Beirn came from.”
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