Kilkenny Priest celebrates Golden Jubilee

An tAthair Fearghus O’Fearghaill PP celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his ordination at a Mass of Thanksgiving in St Nicholas Church in Windgap. The Johnstown native and former county senior hurling championship winner with the Fenians was educated in St Kieran’s and Maynooth Colleges and was ordained in 1974. His short hurling career saw him captain St Kieran’s to provincial victory against John Quigley of St Peter’s and play in the under-21 All-Ireland final against Cork in 1968.

Following his ordination, he continued his studies for four years in Rome and was awarded a Doctorate, worked in Frankfurt and returned to Rome for another four years before. On his return to St Kieran’s College in 1982 he taught the Old and New Testament and also lectured in the St Peter’s and St John’s seminaries in Wexford and Waterford. In 1998 he moved to Dublin and lectured at the Mater Dei Training College and acted as chaplain in the Donnycarney and Sheriff Street parishes.

Following his retirement from teaching in 2013, Fr Fergus arrival as an Sagart Paróiste occurred in 2015 after the parish had been without a resident priest for three years and Fr Nicholas Flavin PP of Dunnamaggin had administered the four churches of Dunnamaggin and Windgap parishes from the parochial house in Dunnamaggin. Being aware of the area from his college days, it was a partial homecoming for Fr Fergus as he had served as CC to Fr James Brennan PP in Kilmoganny from 1994 to 1998.

Now a welcome resident in the Parochial House in Windgap since his appointment as PP he serves the communities and churches in Windgap, Dunnamaggin, Tullahought and Kilmoganny, the four National Schools in Kilmoganny, Dunnamaggin, Kells and Windgap, St Joseph’s Retirement Home and continues as a part-time teacher of Theology in St Patrick’s College in Carlow.

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At the ceremony Ann Foley and Tom Egan read from the scriptures, with the prayers being read by Michael O’Shea, Breda Horgan, Sean Foley, Kathleen Moran, Noelle Egan, Margaret Foley and Tony Maloney. The Eucharistic gifts were brought by Eamon Doyle and Joan Downey, while the combined parish choir was led by Nicholas Hawe on the organ as the congregation followed on the souvenir booklet printed by the local national school.

A Gaelgeoir, historian, sports lover, singer, multi linguist, Ossory diocesan archivist, theologian and educationalist who has published many articles, carried out many translations and provides regular snippets on local history in the parish bulletins where he is a strong believer in St Gobán of Killamery as the original patron saint of the parish. During his career to date his writings have included the History of St Kieran’s College and for the Pontifical Biblical Commission.

Afterwards, a special social event was held in the Community Centre where Fr Fergus was thanked for his great work, wished well for the future and made a presentation that included a First Edition ‘History of the Protestant Reformation in England and Ireland’ in two volumes, written by William Cobbett in 1829 by the organizing committee of Peter Purcell, Ann Foley, Eileen Grace and Margaret Mackey.

The event included a beautifully designed jubilee cake in golden decorations on white by Pauline O’Shea, that reflected the occasion with a chalice, host, bible and rosary beads. At the conclusion of both the church and social ceremonies Father Fergus thanked all involved for the lovely occasion and the ongoing support.