Bishop Denis Nulty with members of the African Catholic Family Kildare Dioscese. Pictures: Aishling Conway The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Most Rev Denis Nulty, led recent celebrations to mark the silver jubilee of the Church of the Irish Martyrs, better known as Ballycane church, in Naas. The priests of the parish, including Fr Liam Morgan PP, participated in a concelebrated ceremony at the church on June 12. This church dedicated to the Irish Martyrs was blessed and opened in Ballycane, on the east side of the town in 1997. Historian Liam Kenny, formerly of the Leinster Leader, recalled that architect Eamonnn Hedderman, who had a strong record of innovative design in church building, had spoken during the planning stage of a building which would have some of the characteristics of a tent — a place of shelter, welcome and assembly. “Whether that image translates into the solid brick building that emerged is a matter of individual perception but certainly the characteristics and welcome and gathering were appreciated by the parishioners from the opening day and have remained ever since attracting a loyal and consistent congregation,” noted Liam. All human life has passed through its portals — there are happy occasions like Holy Communion and Confirmation and sad times like a funeral mass ‘the sadness being leavened by the brightness streaming in from the roof light’. He observed that a much anticipated annual service is the Taize reflection at Easter on the night of Good Friday, the culmination of an ecumenical procession from the historic St David’s church in the town centre — “a gesture that links the oldest and the newest in terms of church building in Naas.” Apart from its purposes as a place of sanctuary and a place of worship, the provision of a meeting rooms, provided for in the planning of the structure is a very fine example of forward planning. These rooms are sought after by a diversity of groups seeking to rent them for meetings and classes. Described as synodal in
PICTURES: Ballycane Church, Naas, Co Kildare, marks silver jubilee
Bishop Denis Nulty with Emer, Louise and Clive Lennon
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Andrea Diska, Lara Diska, Darius Diska, Edward Diska, Don Higgins, Aideen Higgins, Audrey Higgins, Bishop Denis Nulty, Audrey Behan, Maureen Dowling and Rose McCabe
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Father Liam Morgan and Bishop Denis Nulty with Parish Volunteers Donie Conway, Gay Nolan and Rory Kilduff
