St Mary's Parish Lanesboro

14/09/2026

🌿I'm not very good at the self-promotion side of things, but I'm delighted to say that this Friday, as part of Culture Night 2026, I’ll have some of my work on exhibition in Lanesborough Library.

"The Art of Conversation" is an ongoing project of portraits of people from home, Lanesborough Co. Longford, with each photograph accompanied by a short snippet of text from a conversation we’ve had.

📍 Lanesborough Library
📅 Friday, 18 September
🕖 7–9pm

I’d really love to see some familiar faces there, so if you’re around, please come in, have a look and say hello.

Supported by Longford County Council and the Arts Council as part of Culture Night 2026.

Photo of my lovely neighbours Michael Flynn and Mary Casey

Longford County Council
Longford Library Services
County Longford Arts Services

10/09/2026

02/09/2026

As we keep the three men being accepted by the Dioceses of Ardagh & Clonmacnois and Achonry & Elphin in our prayers this weekend, may we pray especially for them as they continue to discern their vocation and prepare for this important step in their journey.

May the Lord grant them courage, strength and wisdom, and may they always have the grace to follow where

God is calling them. Lord, guide them and help them to do Your will

A Special Celebration in St. Mary’s
We are delighted to announce that St. Mary’s Church, Lanesborough will host the Admission to Candidacy for the Permanent Diaconate on the Vigil Saturday Mass, 5 September at 6:30pm.

This is an important step in the journey towards the Permanent Diaconate for three candidates:

Steven Donohoe – Diocese of Ardagh & Clonmacnois
Wilker Antonio Da Costa – Diocese of Achonry & Elphin
Richie O’Brien – Diocese of Achonry & Elphin

What does Candidacy mean?

Admission to Candidacy is a formal stage in which the Church recognises a candidate’s commitment to continue his journey of formation, prayer, study, pastoral service and discernment towards the possibility of ordination as a permanent deacon.

It is not ordination, but it is a significant step on the journey.

The Mass will be celebrated by Most Rev. Paul Connell, Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnois, and Most Rev. Kevin Doran, Bishop of Achonry and Elphin.

We warmly invite our parishioners, families, friends and the wider community to join us for this special celebration.

Please keep Steven, Wilker and Richie in your prayers as they continue their journey towards the Permanent Diaconate.

📍 St. Mary’s Church, Lanesborough
📅 Saturday, 5 September
⏰ 6:30pm

All are very welcome.

https://ardaghdiocese.org/admission-to-candidacy-for-the-permanent-diaconate/?swcfpc=1

21/08/2026

A Special Celebration in St. Mary’s
We are delighted to announce that St. Mary’s Church, Lanesborough will host the Admission to Candidacy for the Permanent Diaconate on the Vigil Saturday Mass, 5 September at 6:30pm.

This is an important step in the journey towards the Permanent Diaconate for three candidates:

Steven Donohoe – Diocese of Ardagh & Clonmacnois
Wilker Antonio Da Costa – Diocese of Achonry & Elphin
Richie O’Brien – Diocese of Achonry & Elphin

What does Candidacy mean?

Admission to Candidacy is a formal stage in which the Church recognises a candidate’s commitment to continue his journey of formation, prayer, study, pastoral service and discernment towards the possibility of ordination as a permanent deacon.

It is not ordination, but it is a significant step on the journey.

The Mass will be celebrated by Most Rev. Paul Connell, Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnois, and Most Rev. Kevin Doran, Bishop of Achonry and Elphin.

We warmly invite our parishioners, families, friends and the wider community to join us for this special celebration.

Please keep Steven, Wilker and Richie in your prayers as they continue their journey towards the Permanent Diaconate.

📍 St. Mary’s Church, Lanesborough
📅 Saturday, 5 September
⏰ 6:30pm

All are very welcome.

https://ardaghdiocese.org/admission-to-candidacy-for-the-permanent-diaconate/?swcfpc=1

20/08/2026

As the Leaving Cert results approach tomorrow, we keep all our young people in our prayers.

Whatever the results bring, remember that a result does not define who you are or the person you can become. You have worked hard, faced challenges and come this far — be proud of that.

Don’t be afraid of what comes next. God walks with you in every step, even when you don’t know where the road is leading.

May you have hope in your heart, courage for the future and peace in your mind.

Lord, be with all students tomorrow. Give them strength, calm their hearts and remind them that their future is full of possibilities.

“For I know the plans I have for you… plans for your welfare and not for woe, to give you a future of hope.” — Jeremiah 29:11

We pray for you all. God bless.

15/08/2026

A few more moments from our beautiful pilgrimage to the Poor Clares in Drumshanbo.

Thank you to the Sisters for their warm welcome and to everyone who joined us and made the day so special.

15/08/2026

What a beautiful and spiritual day we had as a parish on our pilgrimage to the Poor Clare Convent in Drumshanbo, with around 70 parishioners joining us.

A very special thank you to the Poor Clare Sisters for welcoming us so warmly and for allowing us to share, even for a short time, in something of their life devoted completely to Our Lord. Their prayer, joy, hospitality and love for the Church were truly inspiring. It was a wonderful reminder that so much of the work of the Church happens quietly, through prayer and sacrifice.

One of the lovely parts of the day was hearing stories and learning about the nuns, including those who had connections to our own communities. Hearing these stories brought our own local history and faith to life and reminded us of the generations of people from our area who have given their lives in service of God.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along. The enthusiasm, encouragement, laughter and joy of everyone who travelled made the day so special. It was a real privilege to organise and facilitate this pilgrimage on behalf of our parish and community, and I know many of us came home spiritually refreshed.

God willing, perhaps this time next year we will find ourselves setting off together on another pilgrimage.

Today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we place our parish, our families and our world under Mary’s loving care.

Mary, Mother of God and Mother of us all, Queen of Peace, bring peace to our hearts, peace to our families and peace to our world. Help us to become instruments of your Son’s peace.

Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us.
Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.

14/08/2026

Tomorrow we celebrate the great feast of Our Lady's Assumption — Mary, who was taken body and soul into the glory of Heaven.
Mary's life was one of trust, humility and a willingness to say yes to God, even when she did not know where that yes would lead. May her example encourage us to place our own lives into God's hands.

As we celebrate this beautiful feast, let us bring our prayers, our families, our worries and our hopes before Mary, trusting in her loving intercession.

May Our Lady continue to lead us closer to Jesus and remind us of the hope we have in the promise of eternal life.
Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us. 🙏🌹

Please see below for our Mass times today, tomorrow and for the Vigil for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today
7.00pm – Lanesboro
8.00pm – Newtowncashel

Tomorrow
10.00am – Killashee
12 noon – Clondra

Vigil - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
6.30pm – Lanesboro

04/08/2026

St John Vianney, patron saint of parish priests, pray for us.

04/08/2026

Join us on Friday the 14th for a day of prayer, fellowship and reflection as we make our pilgrimage to the Poor Clare Monastery in Drumshanbo.

The day will include Holy Mass, a visit to the convent, lunch in Drumshanbo and time to visit Carrick-on-Shannon before returning home.

The cost is €20 per person.

Please see the attached poster for departure times and booking information. All are welcome