Drum and Clonown areas bid a fond farewell to Fr Michael

After weeks of protesting at the plan by Bishop Kevin Doran to return their much-loved curate to his congregation in Dublin, the close-knit communities of Drum and Clonown joined forces last week to bid a fond farewell to Fr Michael Hickey.

The retirement of Fr Hickey from active ministry was strongly resisted by his parishioners when it was announced in the Diocesan appointments in July. A number of protest meetings were held, and a petition with over 2,300 signatures was hand-delivered to the Diocesan Office in Sligo in an effort to persuade the Bishop of Elphin to change his mind.

Fr Hickey left his beloved Drum on Wednesday afternoon last, September 4, and his loyal parishioners formed an emotional guard of honour as he said his final goodbyes to the local community. The parishioners were joined by pupils, teachers and parents from Ardkeenan, Clonown, Cornafulla and Summerhill national schools.

On the previous Sunday, over 250 parishioners attended a farewell party for their curate in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel where a number of special presentations were made to him, and where many kind words of appreciation were spoken.

A presentation of bog oak depicting the gable of Drum Church, which was made by Tom O'Brien, was made to Fr. Hickey, while Monica Lennon and her family presented the curate with a book of photographs which they compiled of the parish, incorporating Clonown, Drum and Ss. Peter & Pauls.

The popular curate was also presented with an envelope containing the cash proceeds which were donated by parishioners on the night of the farewell party, while Marie McEvelly spoke very movingly and eloquently about the legacy left behind in the parish by Fr Hickey and of how much his presence meant to every parishioner, but particularly to those who were elderly, alone or sick.

Meanwhile, the five-member committee which was established to coordinate the local campaign to retain Fr Michael Hickey in the parish of Drum is due to meet with Bishop Kevin Doran this Friday (September 13), for a pre-arranged meeting.

A spokesperson for the committee told the Westmeath Independent that the members will be conveying their “deep disappointment” to Bishop Doran at the decision to remove Fr Hickey from active ministry and return him to his congregation in Dublin, the Holy Ghost Fathers.

“Fr Hickey still had such a big contribution to make to our parish, and we feel the whole issue was badly handled, and that the views of the parishioners were not listened to.

“We will be making those points when we meet with Bishop Doran, who said he would meet with us to discuss the matter after Fr Michael had left the parish,” said the spokesperson.

It is believed the meeting will take place at the Diocesan Office in Sligo, which is the residence of Bishop Doran.