By Paul Murphy
RTE/Kairos has announced a Mass of the Bells to be celebrated in St Peter’s Church, West Street, Drogheda to mark the 400th anniversary of St Oliver Plunkett and the 50th anniversary of the death of Mother Mary Martin, foundress of the Medical Missionaries of Mary.
The Mass will be celebrated by Canon Eugene Sweeney and Fr Iggy O’Donovan OSA on Sunday 23rd November at 11am. Composed by Michael Holohan the Mass will mark the birth of St Oliver in 1625 and the 50th anniversary of his canonisation in Rome.
The Mass will be broadcast live from St Peter’s and also marks the 50th anniversary of Mother Mary Martin’s death. She was highly influenced by the saintliness of St Oliver and had plans to make a film of his life. The composer was inspired to write the Mass by the interconnected lives of both people across the centuries.
The broadcast Mass will be an hour in duration and will have inserted footage of important locations associated with St Oliver around Drogheda, Co Meath and Co Louth.
Michael Holohan said that the broadcast was very hard won and hopefully would portray a positive picture of the town and the arts in Drogheda. The piece is composed by Michael Holohan for soloists, female choir and orchestra with the assistance of Tadhg Murphy, Director of the Drogheda Community Orchestra. The perfomers and staff involved totals 200.
The event will be supported by the Department of Culture, Communiations, and Sport and the National Commenorations Unit, Louth County Council, Meath County Council, The Mayor and Councillors of the Borough and Rural Districts of Drogheda, Drogheda Credit Union, Dr Maire Milner, the estate of the late Gerry Kelly (Ex-Rte), Gerry Simpson, St Peter’s Catholic Church, The Augustinian Church, and St Oliver Plunkett 400 Community Group.
