Patronal Festival Report - S Mary, Nenagh

St Mary, Nenagh
Patron saint: The Blessed Virgin Mary
Festival date: 1 June

St Mary Nenagh welcomed the choir of St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick, for a Choral Evensong marking the Visitation. This was the first Evensong held in the parish in living memory and was extremely well attended, with the local Girls’ Friendly Society opening the service. The music included Victoria’s Ave Maria, Parry’s D major canticles and Bach’s Fugue on the Magnificat as the postlude, all of which were beautifully performed.

The rector, the Rev Keith Barry, preached, with prayers led by the Dean of Limerick. A generous buffet supper followed on a fine summer evening, giving time for conversation and fellowship. The grant played a key role in enabling the occasion, helping introduce the beauty of Choral Evensong to many, including schoolchildren experiencing it for the first time.