Clerics exhumed in Ballina

Clerics exhumed in Ballina


Anna-Marie Flynn

THE bodies of some of north Mayo’s most well-known religious figures have been exhumed from a Ballina crypt and re-interred in a new resting place.
Last week, the exhumation of the bodies of seven bishops and three priests from the crypt of St Muredach’s Cathedral was carried out almost a century after the last burial in the underground tomb.
The remains of Bishops Francis O’Finan, John MacHale, Dominick Bellew, Peter Waldron, Thomas Feeney, Hugh Conway, and John Conmy, along with Father Martin Timlin,  Fr Anthony Finnerty and Father Michael Geraghty, were all removed by experts after entry was gained to the crypt. Immediately afterwards, the remains of the clerics were reburied in a new cemetery in the Cathedral grounds. The crypt is now empty and has been sealed.
The decision to remove the bodies from the crypt was taken after a site assessment almost a decade ago revealed extensive dampness and irreparable seepage in the burial tomb.  Due to financial resources action was not taken until late last year when an exhumation licence was sanctioned.
The exhumations were carried out after Ballina Town Council approved a planning application seeking to create a new burial ground to the rear of the Cathedral which is listed as a protected structure.
Parish Priest of Kilmoremoy, Fr Brendan Hoban, submitted the application over a year ago, on behalf of the parish, out of respect for the six clerics buried in the crypt. Re-interment at the adjacent Cathedral burial ground was not feasible due to over capacity.
The remains now reburied are Bishop Dominick Bellew, originally from Louth who was Bishop of Killala from 1791 until 1812; Bishop Peter Waldron, of Bekan, Ballyhaunis, Bishop of Killala in 1815; Bishop John MacHale, who was coadjutor to Bishop Waldron in 1825 and was assigned the proposal of building a new Cathedral; Bishop Francis O’Finan, who was ordained Bishop of Killala in 1835; Bishop Thomas Feeny originally of Crossboyne, Claremorris, who was consecrated Bishop of Ptolemais with the right of succession to Killala in 1839; Bishop Hugh Conway of Ballycroy, who was appointed co-adjutor to Bishop Feeny in 1872; and Bishop John Conmy of Corballa, Castleconnor who was consecrated Bishop co-adjutor of Killala in 1892. Also re-intered were the remains of Fr Anthony Finnerty, Fr Martin Timlin and Fr Michael Geraghty. The latter was the last to be buried in St Muredach’s in 1911.
The new burial ground has been enhanced with cast-iron ornamental gates and marble wall tablets identifying each grave.
A liturgical service marking the re-burial is expected to take place in the coming weeks.