The iconic Enniscorthy building, which has been home to priests serving St Aidan’s Cathedral for decades, is set to become private property once the sale has been finalised.
In this week’s parish newsletter, parishioners were informed that the Diocese expects the sale to be completed by Wednesday, November 27 and the building will become a private property.
"We move forward into a new chapter in the life of our parish and pastoral area and we thank the clergy of the diocese and our parishioners for their support...and we welcome the new challenges that the future will bring,” they wrote.
The existing parish office will close permanently at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 22, with a new parish office opening at no.1 Irish Street at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 3.
The new residences of the priests will be at St Senan's Presbytery in Templeshannon, and the office phone number and email will remain the same.
When it was announced during a Sunday mass last year that they would be selling the iconic building, it sent shockwaves through the parish.
The Manse building is over 100-years-old, having been built between 1908 and 1909. It has been home to many of the Parish’s priests over the years and currently houses two priests and the parish’s office and is often used as a space to hold meetings.
It has four reception rooms, a kitchen, a utility, a laundry room, a toilet, and stores on the ground floor. Upstairs has six bedrooms, two bedroom suites and four bathrooms.
However, the decision was not made lightly with Fr Tom Dalton citing the parish’s economic struggle as the reason.
"It was a very difficult decision to come to and we looked at all types of solutions before we made this decision. We have been doing that for the last three or four months, “ he said at the time.ADVERTISEMENT
In a statement on the St. Aidan’s Cathedral Enniscorthy Facebook page they said that the parish of St. Aidan’s has been struggling financially for quite sometime.
“We are living in a very challenging economic time. Here in the parish of St Aidan’s as across the country there has been a significant fall in parish income. For the past three years we have had an annual deficit of approximately €20,000 so we have drawn on savings to make up the shortfall. This is not sustainable” they wrote.
They explained that it was a group decision that was made after discussions were had between members of the clergy and the parish’s finance committee
“Over the last few months the Parish Finance committee, Bishop Ger and the priests of the Pastoral area have been discussing the matter. We have collectively agreed that the time has come to sell the Manse. This was not an easy decision to come to but a decision that is the right one at this time,” they continued.
The money from the sale will go towards day to day expenses, maintenance of St Aidan's Cathedral and the new parish office.
The building was valued at €950,000 and the sale of the property is being handled by DNG McCormack Quinn auctioneer Gary Quinn.