Lack of blessing at Westport openings disappoints Mayo councillor

A West Mayo councillor has expressed disappointment that the local priest in Westport was not invited to bless the new housing development in the town or the running track last week.

The six-lane running track at the Sportspark in Westport was opened last Sunday and on Friday, Minister for Housing James Browne opened the new Bog Gate Demesne housing development on the Golf Course Road.

Independent councillor John O'Malley told the monthly meeting of Westport/Belmullet Municipal District that he attended the opening of the track and was taken aback that the local priest, Fr John Kenny was never asked to say a prayer or bless it.

“There were many speeches made at it and the thing is the priest was invited there and he was not asked to say a word or bless the track. There were a lot of people very disappointed with it including myself.

“It is not that I am over religious or anything but the priest was there for a reason to bless the track and it should have been done. Somebody objected to it not being done and it wasn't done. As far as I am concerned, I mean this sincerely, I allocated GMA money to that and if I had known that is the way they were going I would not have allocated money to it.

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“That is not in keeping with our tradition. We are a Catholic country still and we do appreciate our religion. I am not going to dictate what anyone should do or shouldn't do but I think it should have been blessed and it wasn't done,” he said.

Fr John Kenny attended opening of Westport housing development but did not give a blessing

The Carrowholly-based councillor said that in the future he wanted to see any publicaly funded development blessed by a local priest and felt this type of incident should not be repeated.

“We have to nip this in the bud because this is what is happening in our society. We are changing our society which is a bad thing.

“If somebody doesn't want to believe in what we do then that is fine let them not believe it. But let them be dictating to us how we are to do things.Our tradition is if we open something we ask the local priest to bless it,” he said.

Cllr O'Malley added that he was not available to attend the opening of the new housing development but was told it was also not blessed.

He also expressed disappointment that Cllr Peter Flynn, the Cathoirleach of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District was not given the opportunity to speak at the opening.

“I could not be there and I was nearly as pleased not to be there because of what I heard. Again there were people speaking and giving speeches that nobody was interested in but our Cathaoirleach here, Peter Flynn, wasn't even mentioned or asked to say a word.

“I think it was very bad that he wasn't asked to say a few words as the Cathaoirleach of the municipal district who had more to do with that development than a lot of them who were speaking that day.

“A particular notice was taken of it because it was told back to me at different places over the weekend and also that development was not blessed,” he said.

His comments were supported by Westport councillor Brendan Mulroy who said that all faiths in the community should be represented when a development is being opened. He also felt that the Cathaoirleach of the municipal district should also be respected and asked to speak.

Cllr Peter Flynn acknowledged that he too found it unusual that the local priest was not asked to bless both developments and believes it is a lesson which will have to be taken on board.

Regarding the role of the Cathaoirleach at events, Cllr Flynn said he found that there is no protocol which surrounds the office and felt whoever has the chain should be supported more.