'Ecumenical matter' prompts Westport councillors to vent their anger

Councillors in Westport have expressed annoyance that the local priest was not asked to bless a new housing estate recently. 

Minister for Housing James Browne cut the tape and spoke at the official opening of the Bog Gate Demesne estate on Friday, September 26, while the cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Sean Carey, also addressed the gathering. However, the cathaoirleach of Westport Municipal District, Cllr Peter Flynn, was not invited to speak nor was the local priest Fr John Kenny who did not get the opportunity to bless the estate.

The matter was raised at last week's meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District by Cllr John O'Malley who said Fr Kenny was also not asked to perform a blessing at the recent opening of a new athletics track in Westport.  

"The priest was there for a reason, to bless the track and I think it should have been done but somebody objected to it being done and it wasn’t done. I allocated general municipal money to this development and so did other councillors and if I had known that is the way it was going, I would not have, because it is not in keeping with our tradition. We are a Catholic country still and appreciate our religion and look after it still and I think the track should have been blessed but it wasn’t done."

Cllr O’Malley said he was “so upset by the track event I never went down for the burgers”. He also referred to the opening of the housing estate and expressed annoyance that the cathaoirleach of the municipal district was not asked to speak and that Fr Kenny did not perform a blessing.

Cllr Brendan Mulroy and Cllr Chris Maxwell both agreed with Cllr O’Malley 

“I thought myself it was very strange our local priest was not asked to bless both events," said Cllr Maxwell.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Peter Flynn said it was "an unusual situation".

"This is really an ecumenical mater rather than a council matter, but, whoever turns up for an event, whether it is the local priest, then they should have a role to play and maybe it is a lesson to be learned by us."

Speaking to the Western People later in the week, Fr Kenny said he took no offence at not being included in the formalities and was happy to attend the events. 

"Genuinely I think it was just an oversight [and] no offence was taken."

A spokesperson for Mayo County Council told the Western People: “The arrangements for Westport followed the standard approach for such openings which has been for the cathaoirleach [of the County Council] to speak but not other councillors including the cathaoirleach of the relevant [municipal district]. 

"I can confirm that Fr Kenny was invited to the event as was a representative from the Church of Ireland. No blessing was arranged for the event.”