Friday, September 24, 2010

Donegal marks centenary of birth of historic island priest

The centenary of the birth of a legendary Donegal priest whose efforts helped to quell the huge numbers of emigration from Tory Island was celebrated this week. 

Pioneering priest Fr James McDyer, who helped establish the Glencolumbkille co-operative, was a man way ahead of his time according to centenary organisers. 

Fr McDyer was born at Kilraine near the Glenties in West Donegal in September 1910 and a special mass was celebrated in Glencolumbkille to mark the centenary of his birth.  

Margaret Cunningham manager of the folk village in Glencolumbcille claimed that the priest was ahead of his time in his efforts to quell emigration from places like Tory Island. 

She said, “Fr McDyer was a visionary whose energy and leadership would have been well required in the Ireland of today.” 

Fr McDyer initially served as a curate in England before been appointed as curate in Tory island and the mainly Irish speaking Glencolumbkille in March 1961.  

He was so shocked by the emigration of young people that he established several co-operatives along with one of the island's first holiday folk villages that reflected three centuries of life in County Donegal. 

The folk village attracts visitors to the area to this very day who wish to understand how life was in the 1700’s, 1800's and 1900's.  

It also exhibits 5,000 years of history in the area.  

He died in 1987 aged 77 years.

SIC: CIN/IE