Bishop to meet parish group on church ban

A DELEGATION from the north Clare village of Liscannor is to travel to Galway tomorrow in a bid to have the Bishop of Galway Martin Drennan’s ban on having the local church used a funeral parlour reversed.

Already, parishioners from across the coastal area have signed a petition urging Bishop Drennan to reconsider his move last summer to end the custom of allowing families have their loved ones laid out in Liscannor church on the night prior to the funeral Mass.

The petition, along with a letter, has been sent to Bishop Drennan from the parish on the issue.

The delegation is to be led by campaigning local parish priest, Fr Denis Crosby, who confirmed to Mass-goers at the weekend that Bishop Drennan has agreed to meet a six-strong delegation.

Fr Crosby confirmed that the delegation from the village will bring a gift, a religious icon from the church, to give to Bishop Drennan.

Liscannor has no dedicated funeral parlour and yesterday, when asked to comment on tomorrow night’s meeting at the cathedral in Galway city, Fr Crosby would only say that: “It is part of an ongoing dialogue.”

Clare Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley wrote to Bishop Drennan last summer on the issue, imploring him to reverse his ban, which is policy across the Galway diocese.

Ahead of the meeting, Mr Dooley said yesterday: “I welcome the dialogue between the parish and Bishop Drennan.

“Churches across Clare are used as a chapel of repose so it is very difficult for the people of Liscannor that their own church cannot be used in the same way when it is permissible down the road.”