Fr. Paddy's Golden Jubilee
On 4th June 1961 Fr. Paddy Sullivan was ordained a priest. The 50th anniversary of this great event was celebrated by the community of Glencar, Mullies and Manorhamilton on Friday 8th of July 2011 in Glencar by way of concelebrated mass in St. Osnat’s Church followed by a social function in Glencar Community Centre.
The principal celebrant at the Mass was Most Reverend Dr. Leo O’Reilly Bishop of Kilmore. Bishop Leo was assisted by Fr. Paddy, newly ordained Deacon Seán Maguire and approx. 10 other priests.
In his homily Bishop Leo paid tribute to Fr. Paddy and his many qualities that he had used in his work over the past fifty years in the parishes in which he had served. Bishop Leo said that Fr. Paddy was happiest when carrying out his pastoral duties among the ordinary people wherever he was located.
Fr. Paddy served as a curate for 29 years and as a Parish Priest for 21 years in the following parishes:
Birmingham 1961-1962
Drumreilly Lower (Corralehan) 1962-1972
Drumreilly Upper 1972- 1980
Bruskey (Cavan) 1980- 1984
Ballinamore 1984- 1990
Corlough 1990- 1999
Knockbride (Cavan) 1999- 2003
Glencar/Mullies 2003- to present
Fr. Paddy was born 16th Oct. 1933 in Denbawn, Denn, Co. Cavan. He served in Leitrim parishes for 41 years and only 9 years in his native Cavan.
A large crowd attended the Mass. Readings were done by Brian Rooney of Glencar and the late Annie Fox of Mullies. The Offertory gifts were brought up by Maureen Clancy of Glencar and Mai Rooney of Mullies. Prayers of the Faithful were said by children from Diffreen and Largy National Schools. The choir consisted of the Glencar and Mullies choirs led by Mary Rooney, Manorhamilton, on the organ.
Following Mass, a large section of the congregation went to Glencar Community Centre where food was served and the presentations were made. It was standing room only for most.
Padraig Kelly acted as MC for the night and opened proceedings by welcoming Bishop Leo and all Fr. Paddy’s fellow priests as well as people from all the other parishes in which he had served. He extended a very warm céad míle fáilte to Fr. Paddy’s sister Theresa, who had travelled from the USA for the occasion.
Padraig continued by paying tribute to Fr. Paddy for his dedicated work over the years as a priest and also his commitment to his family. In his 50 years as a priest he had failed to go home for Christmas Day on only one occasion. That was Christmas 2009 when the snows kept him in Glencar.
Fr. Oliver Kelly, PP Cloonclare/Killasnett, congratulated Fr. Paddy on serving fifty years as a priest. Fr. Kelly described him as a “sincere person who is deeply committed to his people and who has always enjoyed the simple things in life”. He talked briefly about their time together in South Leitrim. He also recalled Fr. Paddy’s brother, Fr. Michael, who ministered in Motherwell, Scotland. When he died in 1977 it was Fr. Oliver, then serving in Carrigallen, who conveyed the sad news to Fr. Paddy in Drumreilly.
Next on the agenda was the cutting of the jubilee cake which Fr. Paddy carried out with great dexterity and style. The presentations then followed.
On behalf of the congregation Paddy McTernan of Glencar and Seamus Feeney of Mullies presented Fr. Paddy with a 40” flat screen TV, a mirror depicting Glencar and Mullies Churches, a year’s subscription to Sky Sports and a wallet of notes. Bernie McDonald presented Fr. Paddy with a painting of Glencar Waterfall on behalf of the Pioneers and Pat McDonald made a presentation to him on behalf of St. Osnat’s GAA Club.
Seamus Feeney, in referring to the longevity of his ministry, said that Fr. Paddy had served under five Popes and three Bishops. He thanked Fr. Paddy for his work with the Mullies Centenary Committee, not least financially, when the committee was in the process of preparing their centenary book “Mullies – A History”. Bernie McDonald recounted travelling with Fr. Paddy to many Pioneer Association meetings over the years in North Leitrim and West Cavan. He recalled how they both astutely coped with the smoking ban when it was introduced. Pat McDonald referred to the new Astroturf pitch, beside Diffreen National School, which in his honour has been named the Fr. Paddy Sullivan Park.
Responding to all the presentations and acclamations, Fr. Paddy thanked all those who had attended and joined in the celebrations. He thanked Bishop Leo O’Reilly for celebrating the Mass and for his kind words. He thanked God for his good health all down the years which enabled him to carry out his priestly duties and said that in his fifty years in the priesthood five days was all he had ever spent in hospital and that was back in the 1980’s. He summed up his approach to life and the priesthood by saying “I tried to listen and not be short-tempered and to play things as I would like them played to me”. Fr. Sullivan concluded by saying “Tonight we are celebrating fifty years of God given service to you the people, whom God loves dearly”.
Following the presentations, musical and dramatic entertainment was supplied by the children of Diffreen and Largy National Schools. Padraig Kelly, in concluding the celebrations, made reference to the great interest Fr. Paddy had in the children of Glencar and Mullies whom he visited regularly in their schools.
After the formal celebrations were concluded many people stayed on to congratulate and chat with Fr. Paddy. The packed attendance, both in Church and in the Community Centre, was in itself a reflection of the love and admiration the community has for Fr. Paddy.
Is annamh a bhíonn a leithéid inár measc.