The Franciscan Province of Ireland announced on December 20 that the church would close permanently on New Year’s Eve.
However, Pat O’Gorman, a member of the Clonmel Abbey House of Prayer steering group, said that its members were staging a sit-in for the foreseeable future until such time as the Franciscan order discussed the proposed closure of the church with the group.
Members of the group are also considering a court injunction to prevent the closure.
The Franciscans left Clonmel two years ago, ending the order’s 750-year association with the town.
A group of local people interested in keeping the church open, so that it would continue to play an active part in the community and serve as a centre of prayer and devotion, came together and formed the voluntary Clonmel Abbey House of Prayer Group.
The church reopened on June 13 2023, on the Feast Day of St Anthony. Since then it has been open daily, with Mass celebrated twice a week on Tuesday morning and Saturday evening.
Joe McCormack, another member of the Abbey House of Prayer group, said they had been asked to leave the church at 4pm on New Year’s Eve and hand the keys back to the Franciscans.
Pat O’Gorman said that “after 700 years we had received ten days’ notice to get out of the church. We are willing and ready to negotiate and discuss this with the Franciscans but there has been no response to any of our emails”.
The church was packed for Mass on the morning of New Year’s Eve and the congregation responded with a round of applause when Pat O’Gorman made the announcement about the sit-in.
He said that people approached him afterwards and offered to take part in the sit-in.
Mr O’Gorman said that there was “huge support” for keeping the church open and they were willing and available to engage with the Franciscans.
In the statement on December 20, the order said it was with “regret and sadness” that the church would close permanently on New Year’s Eve, and that they had not decided on the future of the church at this time.
“We remain very grateful to the Abbey Prayer Group and to the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore for their endeavours with regard to the church building and we acknowledge that this announcement will come as a great disappointment.
“The Franciscans will be forever grateful to the people of Clonmel for their support and friendship over the centuries and we will keep them in our prayers,” the statement added.
No reason was given for the proposed closure, other than the Franciscans stating that it was no longer possible to keep the church open.
The Franciscans couldn’t be contacted for comment on the morning of New Year’s Eve.