Clonskeagh Parish Newsletter
Publishedon Thursday 6th August 2026
A Few Words from Fr Joe……………
You might have seen a picture of the victorious Mayo Senior football team on the summit of Croagh Patrick with the Sam Maguire cup recently. I read an account online from a random pilgrim who was on the mountain at the same time and who both observed and commented on the experience. There was something deeply moving seeing the cup that symbolises victory, being carried aloft to the highest place, where with gratitude to God for the accomplishment of this longed-for win could be marked with pilgrimage and prayer, camaraderie and euphoria. The observer wrote that he was impressed with their respect for the cup, for the place and for the other pilgrims. Needless to say, there was no alcohol, inappropriate language or dress which can sometimes creep into public celebrations. Nor was there a media scrum, just bystanders with cameras capturing the moment and sharing it. He was touched with the warmth of the connection between the players and struck by how young they all looked. He could see that they had the capacity for celebration, but also a respect for the Reek and the context of prayer and pilgrimage, which he felt lies deep in the hearts and minds of Mayo people.
As the focus of media turned to Kerry this week, for The Rose of Tralee, I was touched by the humanity of the winner from Westmeath. As you will no doubt have seen, she suffers from alopecia, and is almost completely bald. In a remarkable moment, she was happy to take off her wig, talk about this condition and how it has been to live with it, with the purpose of normalising something that is often hidden away. She was just fantastic in her courage, good humour and strength. A small gem of video appeared on social media during the week, it captured a relaxed moment in a bar, with just the escorts alone having a bit of craic together, singing, arms around each other’s shoulders, swaying to the music, and singing in one voice, word perfect and well in tune, Our Lady of Knock!
Click below to see a copy of this week's newsletter.