WORSHIPPERS dived for cover in a Co Limerick church after a lit firework was flung through the gallery door and exploded.Some people screamed in terror as the loud bang shattered evening Mass prayer at Glenbrohane Church.
Fr John Ryan who was celebrating Mass at the time said it was a despicable and violent attack on God, the house of worship and local community. A quick-thinking parishioner managed to defuse the firework.
Fr Ryan said: "For a moment everyone was wondering what was happening and were terrorised. Only for one member of the congregation stamping on it, anything could have happened. It was a shocking attack – a new low level in behaviour." The incident happened during 8pm Mass last Saturday.
"The collection box had just gone around when the firework was thrown in the door into the gallery," one eyewitness said.
"People didn’t know if it was gun shots, a bomb or what. The priest stopped Mass and said a few words. He got a big shock. It’s a sad situation when people no longer feel safe when they to Mass," the eye-witness said.
Local councillor, Eddie Ryan also condemned the attack. "It’s unbelievable that somebody would do such a thing... Thankfully nobody was injured." Gardaí at Bruff are investigating.
And in another attack at the parish church in Caherconlish, a person defecated in a confession box and then wiped their soiled hands on the altar cloth.
"I saw all the stuff on the cloth when I was saying Mass," Curate Fr Danny O’Gorman said. "It wasn’t seen until I was coming back from giving out Communion. There were marks on the cloth and it was only when we investigated we found out what it was. It was shocking."
Fr O’Gorman said the person must have serious personal issues. "They’re more to be pitied than anything."
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