Parish priest shocked and angered over 'mass' arrest in Donegal church

A Letterkenny parish priest said he was "shocked" and "angry" and that precautions will be taken to prevent a repeat of unruly scenes during mass last week.

Fr Ciaran Harkin spoke to parishioners at Sunday’s 11:30am mass at the Church of the Irish Martyrs in Aughaninshin, a week on from an incident that saw five men arrested and charged with various offences including public order and possession of offensive weapons.

“Like many in the parish, I was deeply shocked and indeed angry that you, our 11:30 congregation, had to witness the complete disregard for human life last week and a complete disregard for the sacredness of this chapel and its grounds,” Fr Harkin said on Sunday.

“For many of you, I know it was a frightening experience and of course, only for the prompt and efficient work of the Gardaí, it could have been a very serious, violent incident.

“Without going into any detail, I certainly am a little wiser after this incident. Indeed, more precautions will be taken to ensure that an incident like this will not take place again and any of our parish masses.”

A week previously, Fr Dominic Thoomkuzhy was saying mass when a feud broke out, which required a massive garda presence to diffuse.

Bickering began in the porch of the chapel, which then spilt inside as Fr Dominic Thoomkuzhy was about to start to Gospel.

A group dispersed outside into the carpark, where there was a significant Garda presence outside, who broke the feuding parties into fractions and held them for some time.

Inside, parishioners sat in fear as the mass was temporarily postponed for over five minutes before swiftly concluding.

In a message passed onto Fr Thoomkuzh by the local sacristan, Siobhan O'Connell, those in attendance were told to wait inside the chapel for 10 minutes until things had cleared outside, where things had been quieten with a large number of gardaí surveying things.

Declan Nee, who runs the church choir, apologised to Fr Thoomkuzhy on behalf of the local community.

“A word of thanks from all of us to the Gardaí for their efficient and effective response last Sunday,” Fr Harkin added. “A word of thanks too, to the church community who communicated with the congregation last week - to Siobhan, to Fr Dominic and to Declan - and indeed to all who helped diffuse the anxiety and fear of some of you during the 11:30am mass.”

At a special sitting of Letterkenny District Cort last Monday, five men - Michael McDonagh, of the Big Isle in Letterkenny; Michael Reilly Junior, of Kishogue Park, Lucan, Dublin; Michael Reilly Senior, Thomas Reilly, and John Paul Reilly of Tailteann Drive, Windtown, Navan, Co Meath - were released on bail to September 16 to await directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.