We say hello to all emigrants from our parish.. If you are suffering from homesickness we hope that this website will give you a lift.
To all who have settled in Ireland away from our parish,.. You are very welcome. Our website may be a way of checking on what is going on in your absence.
To all attending 3rd level education, Some will be travelling from home each day. Some will be returning home at weekends. Student life can be exciting and challenging. Your horizons are expanding .It's always good to hear from you. Keep in contact with your church.
There are some who start work directly after 2nd level education. This can be lonely too as a lot of your friends are no longer around. It will be a time of learning about work.
We welcome young people who are attending second level education.. We would love to hear more from you. Please do keep in contact with your parish church.. Use the website.
We have about 170 children attending our three national school. We welcome you and value your enthusiasm and yest for life. We especially remember those making their first Communion and Confirmation in 2026. Have a happy Christmas!
To our young couples who are starting out in life together. It is a particularly busy time for you.. We hope you will teach your children to pray.
We welcome those who are newcomers to the parish. It can be difficult for some to make new friends. It is hard to remember names or to hear what people are saying. Be patient with your self and with your new neighbours. It all takes time. The website might be a way of learning what is happening. Coming to church can be a way of meeting people.
We welcome all immigrants to the parish. We hope your life wll be less stressful and you will be able to adjust to a new culture. We have much to learn from you.
We welcome non Catholics to the Parish. You are very welcome to join with us to praise and worship God.
If you are interested in becoming a Catholic you are very welcome to join with us. Contact Fr John and we can discuss what it entails.
If you are wondering about becoming a priest or religious life , you will be an answer to prayer.! Contact me and I will be delighted to discuss it with you.
Most of us were born in the parish or have been here for years. We are living in a time of change in our church and country. The dioceses of Achonry and Elphin are beginning to merge. Our parish has been clustered with three surrounding parishes. We are introducing new structures in our parish. We are in a time where there are less priests available. We need to keep asking God that his will be done in this work.
God sent his Son to us, not to condemn us, but to save us from our sins. It is true that most of us are luke warm and reluctant in our responce to such love, However, if the circumstances are right and the approach is well made, most of us will respond to the Lord's will.
God bless!
Fr John
Mass Times:
Weekends:
Tourlestrane: Sun 10.30am:
Kilmactigue: Saturday 7pm ( from beginning October to end of April)
Saturday 8pm ( from beginning May to end of September)
Lough Talt: Sun 9.20am
Weekdays:
Tourlestrane: 9.30am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and 7/8pm on Fridays
Kilmactigue: 9.30am on Mondays, Thursdays
Mass on Saturday morning on arrangement with requestor.
Exposition of Blessed Sacrament:
Tourlestrane: Tuesday 10am - 1pm
Kilmactigue: Monday 10am - 12noon
Confessions:
Tourlestrane: Friday 6pm - 6.30pm (from beginning October to end of April)
Friday 7pm - 7.30pm (from beginning May to end of September)
Anointing of the Sick
Home visitation takes place on the First Friday of the Month and on the Thursday before hand. Contact Fr John if you wish a priest to call.
Baptism: Contact Fr John
Marriage: Contact Fr John. Give at least three months notice.
First Communion: Preparation for children is done through the parish schools each year.
Confirmation: Preparation for candidates is done through the parish schools every two years.
Adults : Preparation for Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation for adults will be done through the OCRA programme in the next few years. Please contact Fr John.
Parish Vision Statement.
Kilmactigue/Tourlestrane Parish sees its overall purpose as evangelisation, that is, to make the invisible Christ more visible, and to help bring about the kingdom of God.. We see ourselves as a prayerful community with Christ at its centre, which welcomes, appreciates and reaches out to all people. We hope to be a parish marked by the joy, energy, strength, resilience and compassion which comes from our relationship with Christ.We hope to be united around the Lord, attractive to younger people who wish to become involved, and able through modern means of communication, as well as old-fashioned talking, to reach out to bring the Good News to all willing to listen.
Parish Logo
The logo of the parish is the image of the statue of Our Lady of Banada. The statue was given by Pope Pius IX to Fr Daniel Jones as a gift to Fr Jones’ mother. Pope Pius dedicated the statue under its present title of Our Lady of Banada and granted the image his Apostolic Blessing with a plenary indulgencePope Pius also gave permission to have the statue erected high over the altar in the new convent chapel higher than the Blessed Sacrament – a rare privilege. The feast day of Our Lady of Banada is celebrated annually on October 8th
Parishioners
When we are baptised we are anointed to do Christ-like functions, to be a member of his body. With Eucharist, we share with the other people and with Jesus, to be nourished to be more Christ-like. With Confirmation we are confirmed in our responsibility for our task and as a member of the Body of Christ, the Church.
New Comers to the Parish: Probably best to register with Fr John to let us know you are there
How to come more involved with the parish: Best to volunteer. From time to time you may be asked as to what might be your talents.
Parish Address
Fr. John Glynn, PP
Tourlestrane
Tubbercurry
Co Sligo
Phone: (071) 9181105
Mobile: 087 2732252
Email: kilmactigueparish@gmail.com
Website :Kilmactigue parish
Live -stream: Tourlestrane-parish-mcn
Office Hours:
There are no office hours. Fr John is available at any time. Ring mobile number and make arrangements or call at house.
Parish Staff:
Secretary: none
Youth Ministry: none
Adult Cathechist: none
Parish Rotas: Voluntary members
Kilmactigue: Counters, Altar Society, Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers
Tourlestrane: Counters, Altar Society, Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Sacristans.
Lough Talt: Counters, Altar Society, Readers, Eucharistic Minsters, Altar Servers, Sacristan.
Parish Baptismal Team: Michelle Mulholland, Nicole Harte, Marie Surlis, Michelle Molloy, Maria Harrington.
Choirs:
Tourlestrane: Senior Choir (contact Michael Collins) . Children’s choir (contact Collette Gallagher)
Lough Talt ( Fintan Mullarkey, Emma Reidy)
Safeguarding: local safety officers: Mary Collins, Jacqueline Kennedy.
Emergency Numbers:
Fr Vincent Sherlock, Tubbercurry 0719185049
Fr Leo Henry, Curry 087 6306938
Fr Peter Gallagher, Mullinabreena, Achonry 071 91 84002
Parish Councils
The members of the Parish Pastoral Council: Brendan Leonard (chairperson), Geraldine Gavaghan (secretary), Fr John Glynn (presider), Cian Deehan, Enda Gavaghan, Elaine Marren, Margaret Meers, Mairead Monaghan, Fintan Mullarkey, Geraldine Quinn, Theresia F Roddy, Joseph Scanlon
Meet monthly , ten times per year
Parish Finance Council: The parish Finance Council members are Geraldine Kennedy (chair), Paddy Henry (sec), Fintan Kennedy, Aileen Nealon, Emma Reidy, Fr John Glynn
Meet quarterly per year.
Building Maintenance: The three church areas of Tourlestrane, Kilmactigue, Lough Talt, each has a committee responsible for maintenance of church buildings in their area.
Contacts: Tourlestrane : John T Marren :Kilmactigue Geraldine Kennedy, Lough Talt: Fintan Mullarkey.
Parish churches
Tourlestrane church
Kilmactigue church
Lough Talt church
Yearly events
Senior citizens dinner (beginning of December)
Bambellini Sunday (3rd Sunday in Advent)
Blessing of Children baptised during year ( February)
St Patrick’s day parade ( 17th March)
Mass in Kilmactigue cemetry (beginning of August)
Mass in Rhue cemetery ( 12th August)
Mass at St Attracta’s well (Sunday nearest 15th August)
Blessing of animals (beginning of October)
Feast of Our Lady of Banada ( 8th October)
Prayers in cemetery ( beginning of November)
November ceremony for the dead (towards end of November)
Adult Education Religious Programmes
During Lent and Advent Fr John invites anyone to come to his home for some reflection on the gospel of the following Sunday
Schools:
Drimina NS
Drimina National School is a Catholic Primary School under the patronage of the Bishop of Achonry, Kevin Doran. While we promote primarily a Catholic ethos, we warmly welcome children of all faiths and beliefs and none. Located in the Parish of Kilmactigue, we aim to promote the full and harmonious development of each child in our care. We provide primary education to girls and boys from Junior Infants to 6th class. The school has been situated on the current site since 1955, with two extensions forming the building as we know it today. One was completed in the early 2000’s and a second in 2006. Children in Drimina NS now enjoy the benefits of receiving their education in a state of the art school environment. Our school is supported by a very proactive Board of Management and an extremely hardworking Parents' Association who liaise with the staff continuously on many aspects and initiatives pertaining to school life.
Here in Drimina National School we work collaboratively to ensure our pupils receive positive and enjoyable learning experiences in a vibrant, inclusive and welcoming environment. We aim to provide best practice in education for all children attending our school. Each child is encouraged to work hard always and to strive to reach their full potential. We respect all of our children for their uniqueness. Each child’s positive well-being is our main priority. All children are encouraged to develop independence and self-esteem, as well as fostering the values of being kind, caring, courteous and considerate individuals.
Email driminans3@gmail.com
Phone: 0719186046
Castlerock NS
Castlerock National school is a rural Primary School situated in the parish of Kilmactigue close by Lough Talt and the Ox Mountains.
Vision Statement
- We the staff of Castlerock National School, aim to provide our pupils with a happy and safe environment in which they will learn.
- We cater for all aspects of the child's development by providing a good all round education, which will meet his/her intellectual, spiritual, physical social, emotional and cultural needs.
- We encourage a spirit of friendliness and co-operation and work closely with other local agencies involved in child-care provision.
- We recognise the role of parents as the first educators of their children and try to facilitate that role by encouraging active participation in their children's school life.
- Our school is the setting in which our faith is lived and shared. The primary education we provide is inspired by our Catholic Faith, and Christian values are passed on to the children in prayer, in our programme of Religious Instruction and in our preparation for receiving the Sacraments of Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation.
- The staff at Castlerock National School are committed to effective teaching in all areas of the Primary School Curriculum and work as professionals in preparing, presenting and executing lessons of the highest standard.
- As a staff we aspire to provide opportunities for fostering good leadership qualities in staff and pupils.
- We endeavor to work together as a friendly, supportive and co-operative team for the benefit of the entire school community.
- We would like to equip each child to avail themselves of further education so that they may go on to live a full and useful life as an adult in society.
- Finally, we recognise that each child is unique with special needs and our clearly stated aims foster the personal development of every child in our care_
Email: castlerockns@gmail.com
Phone: 0719181234
Banada NS
Our Lady’s National School Banada is in the tranquil village of Tourlestrane, We are a co-educational mainstream school catering for classes from Junior Infants to Sixth, with three special classes for pupils with ASD. Catholic in ethos, Our Lady’s NS has always been a multicultural learning community, where we foster an atmosphere of inclusion, respect and tolerance. Our dynamic and caring staff takes a personal interest in every pupil and values the diversity of skills and talents that our children display. We aim to be a thriving, forward- thinking energetic school.
At Banada N.S., in addition to academic achievement we also focus on the holistic development of each child. Our school offers a wealth of exciting programs and activities designed to engage students and nurture their talents.
At Banada National School, we are committed to fostering a warm, inclusive, and stimulating environment where every child is encouraged to achieve their full potential. Nestled in the heart of South Sligo, our school has a proud tradition of excellence in education, offering a rich and balanced curriculum that supports the academic, social, and personal growth of our students. We believe in nurturing a love of learning through engaging lessons, hands-on experiences, and a strong sense of community, ensuring that each child develops the skills and confidence they need to thrive.
Beyond the classroom, Banada N.S. provides a diverse range of opportunities designed to inspire and enrich the lives of our students. From sporting activities to creative arts, music, and cultural programs, we strive to cultivate a well-rounded education that goes beyond textbooks. Our dedicated teachers, supportive parents, and strong school community work together to create a welcoming space where every child feels valued, supported, and ready to embrace their educational journey.
071 9181219
banadans@outlook.com
A Short History
The historic mass that took place in the unique little chapel in Benada Abbey on the 7th of August 2005 perhaps closed the final chapter on a remarkable piece of history on both the Abbey itself and the Statue of Our Lady, which had rested there since 1850.
This Statue came to Ireland as a gift from Pope Pius IX to a descendant of Sir Roger Jones, a Welsh Protestant who was granted lands in Wexford and Sligo and later became the first High Sheriff of Sligo in 1602. Jones ousted the local Chieftain O’Hara and settled in Benada where he built a house beside the River Moy next to an Augustine Monastery. Jones owned vast tracks of land including most of the current Castle Street in Sligo Town and was responsible for the building of St John’s Church there.
Four generations later the Jones family was converted to Catholicism when Roger Jones embraced the Catholic faith as a consequence of a remarkable incident.
Roger Jones and the Conversion of a tyrant
Despite the Penal laws that raged in 18th century Ireland, the Jones family had a benign attitude towards the local Catholic population and left the priest of the area to suppress disorders and scandals. On one occasion a lowly man was warned by the priest to mend his ways or else face the wrath of the church. The miscreant worked for the Jones estate and in his dilemma sought protection from Roger Jones, the then landlord. Jones, on hearing the man was to be denounced from the altar in nearby Barratogher Church threatened publicly to horse whip the priest in the event the denunciation occurred.
Undaunted by the presence of the owner of Benada who took up a conspicuous position near the altar, the priest warned his flock against the evil example and the evil doer in their midst, and the next moment Mr Jones, white with rage, rushed to the alter raising his arm to strike the priest with his horsewhip when the congregation through Gaelic cried out in one voice “the curse of Saint Attracta be on you”. Remarkably the whip fell from Jones’s hand and his arm itself fell paralysed down by his side.
The whole transaction had a dramatic affect on Roger Jones and some days later he sent for the priest where they later became firm friends with the result that Jones took instruction on converting to the Catholic faith, however his premature death denied him a place in the church. Nonetheless his family all became Catholics and his Grandson Daniel (born in 1816) became perhaps the most famous of them all despite leading a secular life.
Daniel Jones
Daniel, Roger Jones’ son, like most of his generation had a relatively privileged upbringing having a tutor to educate him, his three sisters and two brothers. On finishing their education he and his brother James became Jesuits, his two sisters entered the Sisters of Charity with a further girl joining the Sisters of Mercy.
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Celtic Cross memorial to Daniel Jones in Sisters of Charity cemetery at Benada Abbey |
Freddie, the third son stayed with his parents andbecame automatic heir-designate of the estate which comprised over 3200 Acres and included the following townlands, Benada, Tourlestrane, Gortnamone. Altenelvick, Cloonacamogue and Carrentubber. Later he too, was to express a wish to enter the Jesuits cloister, a wish that was thwarted by his untimely death in his thirtieth year in 1853.
Wild, dissolute and reckless, Freddie was an anomaly in a family with such strong religious devotion. His bouts of debauchery and equine escapades were notorious. He was often seen galloping his horse down the tree lined avenue and jumping the Grand Gates that stood on the entrance to the estate. On one occasion, for a wager, he jumped his horse from the parapet of Benada Bridge on to the embankment below along the River Moy.
Meanwhile Daniel, the eldest son and heir to the estate was a magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for Sligo and had unsuccessfully contested the 1837 Parliamentary election for the Sligo Constituency running for the Daniel O’Connell supported Liberal Party. He has already taken classical studies in the University of Louvain and Trinity College , a circumstance that was later to contribute to his distinguished career in the Jesuits.
Statue: Our Lady of Benada
He was the first Rector of Milltown Park, First Provincial of the Irish Province and was sent to Rome on numerous occasions to represent the Irish Jesuit Province . Following his ordination in 1850 a trip to Rome followed where he was granted a private audience with Pope Pius IX who presented him with a small statue of Our Lady as a present for his widowed mother who was instrumental in helping the local population deal with the terrible atrocities of the great famine. The Pope also recognised and appreciated what she had done for the church by giving five of her children to religion and added, “that the statue was miraculous”. Mrs Jones, deeply touched by the Holy Fathers gift had the statue placed in a special alcove- still intact - in the family oratory under the title of Our Lady of Benada.
The Conversion of Freddie Jones
During Daniel’s early period in the Jesuits, his brother Freddie still continued his bohemian life style despite his mother praying incessantly for the conversion of her erring son. Her prayers seemed to fall on deaf ears until one evening as she decided to make a Novena to Our Lady of Benada and during the course of the Novena, Freddie who had been away for several days on one of his frequent trips to the Gentleman’s Club in Ardnagalass, Skreen, passed by the little oratory and saw a strange light shining all around Our Lady’s Statue. He was astonished to find he could not penetrate within the circle it made.
A few nights later he saw the same light and his mother kneeling within the circle. This time – with his mother’s outstretched hand to help – he was able to step inside the radiance. He inquired from his mother why she was praying at this late hour and she replied with an answer that pierced his heart “ I am asking Our Lady of Benada to convert you”. There and then Freddie knelt down by his mother’s side, implored her forgiveness and promised with the help of God and Our Lady of Benada to change his life.
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Memorial to Tadhg Dall O'Huiginn at Benada Abbey. Tadhg died at this spot. |
From that moment Freddie changed his life and entered a retreat at Milltown Park under the tutelage of the Jesuits. While he was there he expressed a wish to enter the Society of Jesus, but in view of his past lifestyle he was advised to take a year out to consider this step more carefully. He returned to Benada and unfortunately suffered a rapid decline in health which resulted in his death within a year.
Freddie’s death marked the end of an era as all his siblings had entered religious orders and in accordance with the wishes of his late father Daniel decided that the portion of land surrounding Benada should be devoted towards religious purposes. This eventually led to the property being transferred to the Irish Sisters of Charity. The remainder of the estate was forced into the Encumbered Estates to pay for the mortgages that were raised before and during the famine.
Mother Mary Aikenhead and the Sisters of Charity
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19th century drawing of 15th cent. Benada Abbey ruin by W.F. Wakeman. Benada Abbey stands near the source of the River Moy |
Mother Mary Aikenhead and the IrishSisters of Charity came to Benada in 1858 and later in 1863 founded a school for little boys and girls. Old Mrs Jones still continued to live in a separate part of the house and died in 1865.
A few years earlier the Pope, having heard the story of Freddie’s conversion gave permission to have the statue erected high over the altar in the new convent chapel higher than the Blessed Sacrament – a rare privilege. He also requested that a light should be kept burning at her feet. In the year following Mrs Jones’s death, Pius IX dedicated the statue under its present title of Our Lady of Benada and granted the image his Apostolic Blessing with a plenary indulgence attached. This may be obtained by all persons who at any day (once a month) having taken confession, communion, visit the Statue and pray before it for Propagation of the Catholic Faith and for the Pope’s intentions.
Fr Daniel Jones died in 1870 at the age of fifty-four fortified by the knowledge that his beloved Benada was in good hands but, not even he would believe the tremendous affect the good nuns would have on the surrounding communities. The Sisters of Charity started a Lace School on 1901 and within a few short years took first prize at the RDS. Later a sewing industry and a knitwear business took off and indeed today Vestments and Alter Linen are still made by Ann Gaughan. Unfortunately the Nuns left Benada in 1988 due to decreasing numbers and the property fell into the hands of the Diocese of Achonry who recently sold it to local entrepreneur Neil Egan and his wife Cathy who have major plans to transform Benada Abbey to the splendour of yesteryear.
Legacy of the Sister of Charity
Perhaps the greatest legacy the Nuns brought to the area other than religion or work was the establishment of a Secondary school in the 1950’s. Not alone did it stem the flow of young people emigrating it also allowed teenagers to sit Exams rather than test their mettle on shovels and spades and indeed it is fair to say that Benada Abbey Secondary School was recognised both inside and outside of the county for its academic and sporting achievements and certainly had no equal during this writers sojourn there.
Benada Abbey today
Today as you approach Benada Bridge from Tubbercurry you cannot but notice the beautiful garden on the left called the “John Hume Peace Garden”, the bridge itself built by Thomas Jones a direct forbear of the writer is a protected structure. From there you will see the original Benada Abbey founded by the Eremites of St Augustine in 1423. Today, it stands time stricken and hoary as a replica of medieval monastic Ireland . Beyond a short distance is a large Celtic Cross made of Granite that looks eternally over the beautiful River Moy, this cross marks the graves of the parents of Daniel Jones and his younger brother Freddie. Further along the road you will see the avenue leading to what is now known as Benada Convent, the tree lined avenue has long since disappeared to be replaced by profiteering coniferous trees.
New Home: Tourlestrane
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Tourlestrane Church |
On the 11th of September 2005 a procession took place to remove the statue of Our Lady of Benada from its resting place to a new home in the church at nearby Tourlestrane. It was followed by a blessing and a special mass to honour the occasion. I conclude this story with the words of the deceased Augustine monk Fergal Dubh O’Gara who is buried beside the Abbey:
Most happy among women/A woman among women/A mother among mothers/A Virgin among virgins.