BY AILEEN MURPHY
This Sunday the 11.30am Mass in Newtownbutler will have great significance for the parishioners of Galloon for it will mark the last Mass in The Church of The Immaculate Conception for six months.
The church will close its doors for extensive renovations which will cost in the region of £800,000.
The church was dedicated on the Feast of Our Lady the 15th of August 1897.
Old newspapers of the time gave the opening extensive coverage. Articles carried an account of the day of celebration for the parish of Galloon when thousands of people came in special trains to the town to attend the dedication and contribute financially to the building fund.
The church cost £5,000 to build and, with the help of parishioners and friends, when the day was over, £4,500 had been raised, with £900 collected alone at the special ceremony. Money was contributed from all creeds.
The dedication was jointly carried out by Bishop Owens of Clogher and Bishop Healy of Clonfert.
Now, 112 years on, the parishioners and friends further afield are being asked once again to help financially in the renovation project under way.
Fr. Michael King PP explained this week that the church would see extensive work carried out taking six months to complete.
Features will include a new roof, re-plastering of external and interior walls, new electric and plumbing and a new ground floor.
With the fund-raising drive underway, Fr King has made a financial appeal to his congregation and the many former parishioners living throughout the country to become involved 'in this exciting project'.
"We want them to feel part of a project which will benefit not only this generation but the generations to come.
"All donations will be warmly welcome to the parochial house in Newtownbutler."
Mass for the local community will take place throughout the renovation work in the Parish Hall in the town. A website is currently been built to keep parishioners, both local and far away, updated on the renovation work.
It will be available at www.galloonparish.com
