The bodies of seven bishops and three priests have been exhumed and re-interred in Ballina, Co Mayo. The remains of the clerics are being moved from the crypt of St Muredach's Cathedral.
The exhumations were deemed necessary because an expert assessment of the crypt made several years ago found extensive dampness and irreparable seepage.
Lack of finance meant, however, that no action was taken at the time but late last year, the parish sought an exhumation licence and applied for planning permission for a new burial ground at the back of the Cathedral (pictured).
The last burial in the crypt took place almost 100 years ago.
The bodies were immediately reburied in a new cemetery plot after exhumation and the crypt was then sealed up.
The remains which were exhumed were those of seven bishops of Killala - Dominick Bellew, Peter Waldron, John MacHale, Francis OFinan, Thomas Feeney, Hugh Conway and John Conmy - and three priests, Fr Martin Timlin, Fr Anthony Finnerty and Fr Michael Geraghty. Fr Geraghty was the person last to be buried in the crypt in 1911.
All these clerics served in the Killala diocese in the period between 1791 and 1911.
Their new resting place has been decorated with cast-iron ornamental entrance gates and marble tablets identifying each grave.
The parish has said that it is planning to hold in the near future a liturgical service to mark the re-burial and honour the clergy involved.
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