Parish celebrations held in Dunshaughlin-Culmullen

Dunshaughlin and Culmullen parish saw a special celebration recently - a Mass to mark the retirement of parochial housekeeper, Imelda Kelly, which doubled as an 80th birthday celebration for Fr Joseph Clavin.

Imelda came to Dunshaughlin as housekepeeper along with Fr Joe in 2002. She had previously worked in her native Longwood with his uncle, the late Fr Matt Clavin, after whom the secondary school there is named, and his successors.

Tributes were paid to her by Fr Clavin and the current parish priest, Fr Sean Henry, in the Church of Ss Patrick and Sechnall on Saturday evening, when Fr Henry said she was responsible for dealing with a lot of queries to the parochial house after the parish office closed in the evenings, and at weekends, on top of her normal duties. She was the contact point for many in the parish and was also well known for her wholesome cooking for any visitors to the house.

Fr Henry presented both herself and Fr Clavin with photographs of the two local parish houses. Imelda said she was privileged to work with the priests and the parish and thanked everybody for their good wishes as she took a step back after some 70 years on duty, having started in Longwood Parochial House after leaving school there.

Afterwards, the pastoral centre, which was built during Fr Clavin's time as parish priest, was the venue for a get together of parishioners, family and friends. Ordained in Rome in 1968, Fr Clavin served as curate in Mullingar, Nobber, Trim and Navan. He became Adm, Navan, in 1987; parish priest, Castletown Kilpatrick in 1993 and PP, Dunshaughlin-Culmullen, 2002. In 2019, he became assistant priest, moving to Culmullen. The choirs of Dunshaughlin and Culmullen churches combined for the occasion.