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Innisfallen Island Mass announced

The annual special concelebrated Mass on Innisfallen Island takes place next week.

Next Friday (June 23), members of the public are invited to attend the Mass taking place at 6.30pm.

Now in its 29th year, the Mass was originally an idea by Geoffrey O'Donoghue who sadly died four years after it began.

"There was an Augustinian Monastery on Innisfallen Island and the people, including the priests and monks and they say that Brian Boro, went out there to study. The lake, Lough Lein is called 'The Lake of Learning'," said his wife Mary who carries on the tradition in his memory. 

"My husband Geoffrey was a descendent of the O'Donoghues and he wanted to have Mass on the island. The O'Donoghues built Ross Castle and owned the lands and the lake surrounding it which was later donated by John McShane to the people of Killarney. He [Geoffrey] asked one of the friars and one day he got a call from the OPW that there would be a plaque unveiled to John McShane and they asked if the Mass could coincide with it. It was attended by Sr Pauline, John McShane's daughter, and has continued since until the pandemic."

She added that all the public are welcome to attend. Boats, which will have a nominal fee to cover their costs, will be carrying passengers out from 4pm onwards.