A priest whose parish straddles the Clare/Limerick border admitted
yesterday he will be “storming the heavens” at Sunday Mass tomorrow for
the Limerick hurlers, even though most of his flock will be cheering on
the Banner in Croke Park when the counties clash in the All Ireland
senior hurling semi-final.
The winners will face Cork.
More than 3,000 of the 5,000 parishioners in Parteen/Meelick/Coonagh
parish are Clare natives, and Fr Tom’s house and parish church are in
the Clare village of Parteen.
Fr Tom, 63 said: “If Clare win I won’t be
seen for a week. But if Limerick win I’ll be back first thing Monday
morning, going up and down the main street of Parteen with the Limerick
flag out the window of my car.”
Fr Tom spent nine years as parish priest of Southill in Limerick City
before moving to his Clare/Limerick parish seven years ago.
“My
parochial house is just between the church and Molly Browne’s pub which
is very convenient. If I wasn’t going to Croke Park on Sunday I’d be in
Browne’s driving all my Clare parishioners mad.”
Fr Tom nearly made it onto the Limerick hurling team in his playing days
and lined out at various times for Na Piarsaigh, Tournafulla, and his
local team, Effin.
“I got a few trials for the senior Limerick team, but the spuds were my
downfall,” he said. “I was too fond of them, and put on too much
weight.”
If things don’t work out for his beloved Limerick tomorrow, Fr Tom will
be in the right place for quiet contemplation: “I have a bed in the
John’s Lane Augustinian Priory in the heart of the Liberties for the
weekend. The prior, Fr Tony Egan, is putting me up. At Mass on Sunday I
will be storming the heavens for Limerick. If things don’t go to plan I
might be staying over a few days for some reflection.”