Augustinian priest Fr Iggy O’Donovan was awarded the Freedom of Drogheda at a special ceremony recently.
He may have been the last person to receive the award as Drogheda Borough Council is to be abolished under the Local Government Act.
Previous recipients include Pope John Paul II, Éamon de Valera and Charles Stewart Parnell.
The award to Fr O’Donovan follows a
unanimous decision by the council on October 7th and is in recognition
of the work he did during his 12 years in the town, particularly with
local voluntary groups .
Last night, he described
the award as an “enormous” honour. “The last one to get it was Pope John
Paul II and he is to be canonised. But seriously, I am very moved by
it.”
Last month, Fr O’Donovan transferred to the Augustinian community in Limerick following an emotional farewell Mass in Drogheda, attended by over 1,500 people.
His
leaving was in the midst of controversy over his Baptism of a child
which, it was claimed, was not in accordance with church rites.
Speaking
last month, Fr O’Donovan said: What I want to know is why was the
Baptism deemed invalid and on what grounds? I feel that my ministry was
undermined.”
In 2006 Fr O’Donovan’s concelebration of Easter Sunday Mass with Church of Ireland rector of Drogheda Rev Michael Graham also attracted controversy.