Fr Jim O'Connell celebrates diamond jubilee in priesthood 

THE 60th anniversary of the ordination of Fr Jim O’Connell was celebrated recently with a special Mass in St Patrick’s Church, Rathoe on 18 June.

The service was concelebrated by Bishop Denis Nulty, Monsignor Brendan Byrne and Fr Jim himself while Reverend Lester Scott represented the Church of Ireland community. Ballon and Rathoe choirs amalgamated for the event and performed hymns while Fr Jim’s nephew, Kieran Campbell, played the clarinet.

Gerald Blanche and Bishop Nulty paid tribute to Fr Jim, speaking of his long and distinguished career in the church and the great impact he has had on parishioners.

He has spent almost all of his six decades as a priest there having been ordained in Maynooth in 1966 after which he served in Litchfield, England for two years before moving to the Ballon/Rathoe parish.

After Mass, Fr Jim was met at the millennium clock by local clubs and piper Pat Lalor and the celebrations continued in Ballon Community Centre where refreshments of tea, coffee and, courtesy of Nicky Kirwan, free ice creams awaited. At the reception, musical entertainment was provided by Joe Maher and Jackie Byrne.

“He’s a very popular man and is very much involved in the community. He visits everybody, including the sick, regularly. He is always out on his bike or walking around the village and everybody knows him. He has a word for everybody and at 86 years of age, he’s a great man,” Helen Castle, who was part of the committee who organised the celebration, said.