The Civic Offices on Fair Street were a hive of activity yesterday evening as people gathered to witness two different events, the election of a new mayor and the opening of an exhibition to celebrate the 400th birthday of Saint Oliver Plunkett and the Golden Jubilee of his canonisation.

Introducing the event, Director of Services with Louth County Council, Thomas McEvoy, said: “Born in 1625, Oliver Plunkett’s life was one of courage, faith and sacrifice and his legacy continues to inspire people, not only from Drogheda but communities across Ireland and beyond.

“St. Oliver’s story is one of resilience and integrity during some of the most turbulent periods in our history but his unwavering commitment to peace, reconciliation and education serves as a timeless example for all of us.

“It is here in Drogheda that his presence is most deeply felt, where his relics are kept, where pilgrims gather and his memory lives on with pride.

The St. Oliver 400 exhibition brings this legacy to life in a new and powerful way through archival material, historic artefacts, art and storytelling, it is an opportunity for all generations to explore the depth of St. Oliver’s life and the impact of his martyrdom.

In his address Canon Eugene Sweeney, the Parish Priest of St. Peter’s Parish and custodian of the national shrine to Saint Oliver Plunkett said that the best thing Oliver Plunkett is known for was the manner of his death being hanged, drawn and quartered but there were really important aspects to his life.

“He was a martyr to the faith and the last person to be executed by the state because of his Catholic religion and obviously was a man of great resilience and courage.

“He started a school here in Drogheda, granted it was just for boys, I’m afraid the girls were excluded, but that school was quite remarkable as there were 40 protestant boys attending so he was an ecumenical figure.

“Interestingly, even in the Catholic Church, Oliver Plunkett was forgotten about for several centuries. There was the great famine, and it was only later in the 19^th century that people began to remember who he was.

“We remember him today as the patron Saint of peace and reconciliation and thankfully these days we rejoice in peace on this island but when we look at so many other parts of the world such as Africa, Ukraine and Gaza and others where Oliver Plunkett’s intercession is really needed.”

This exhibition, which was was put together by the Saint Oliver Plunkett 400 Community Group, is well worth a visit and is open to the public Monday to Friday from to 10 AM - 4 PM until 6th of July in 'The Exhibition Space’, Drogheda Civic Offices, Fair Street, Drogheda, A92P440.

It features many key artefacts and memorabilia associated with this remarkable sain, many of which have never been on public display before.

From the ebony casing which housed the saint's head when the 'Siena' nuns were brave custodians, to vestments and first-class relics there is something of great interest in every display case.

From a contemporaneous written account of Archbishop Oliver's trial in London in 1681, to a 'Mass plate' which transformed a barn or a secluded hollow to a sacred place in times of persecution: 

From books to banners and coins to controversy, there’s a wide range of artefacts, as you learn about the life of the heroic Saint Oliver in the early modern period and his journey to sainthood in more recent times.  A real opportunity to discover the authentic, all-forgiving arbiter, martyr and saint.