Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 4:51pm

Special presentation to honour retired Trim PP

by Noelle Finegan

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A presentation will be made to Fr Andrew Farrell, who retired as parish priest of Trim and Boardsmill last year, at a function in Scoil Mhuire, Trim, on 26th February.

A committee was recently formed to organise the presentation to mark Fr Farrell's retirement. Mass will be celebrated in St Patrick's Church on Friday 26th February at 7.30pm, followed by the presentation and function in Scoil Mhuire. There are also plans to erect a plaque in honour of the retired PP in the church grounds.

Special envelopes will be distributed at the doors of the churches on Sunday 7th February. All who would like to make a contribution are invited to take an envelope and return it the following week to the envelope boxes in the church.

Fr Farrell is a native of Raharney, Co Westmeath, and was parish priest in Trim from 1994 until 2009. He celebrated the golden jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood in 2007.

After being ordained in 1957, Fr Farrell spent five years in the USA, was then appointed a chaplain to Navan Hospital and also spent a year teaching in St Finian's College, Mullingar. Fr Farrell subsequently returned to Navan, where he was based for 25 years, and was appointed parish priest in Kingscourt, his last parish before moving to Trim in 1994.

Fr Farrell was instrumental in setting up Navan Credit Union and Navan Meals On Wheels as well as St Mary's Special School at Athlumney, while he served in Navan parish. In Kingscourt, Fr Farrell renovated three churches, two cemeteries and built a new parochial house.

When he moved to Trim, the ever-busy priest oversaw necessary infrastructural work in St Patrick's Church and also in Boardsmill Church. He was instrumental is selling a parcel of parish land for a retirement complex in Trim, which is now the Knightsbridge retirement village.