GALLERY: St Joseph’s Church, Turin, marks 50th anniversary
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A group of people who attended Mass at St Joseph’s 50 years ago when the church was opened and who were present for the golden jubilee Mass on Sunday.Image 2 of 10
John Scally from Turin making a presentation to Bishop Tom Deenihan (see details in article).Image 3 of 10
Mary Mangan, who remembers Turin church being opened, with her daughter Mary McGarry.Image 4 of 10
Joan Loughlin was at the opening of Turin Church in 1973.Image 5 of 10
John Lawlor, Peggie Murtagh, Paddy McGrath and Tommy Keoghan were at Turin church 50 years ago.Image 6 of 10
Una Dowling with her mother Patricia, who was at the opening of Turin Church 50 years ago.Image 7 of 10
Seamus McGomery going to Mass at Turin Church, as he did 50 years ago.Image 8 of 10
Appey and Marie Mangan remember when Turin church was opened on St Patrick’s Day in 1973.Image 9 of 10
Theresa Smyth and Peggy Murtagh were at Mass in Turin church when it opened.Image 10 of 10
Michael and Kitty Aughey were at Turin church when first opened 50 years agoThe pews were packed at St Joseph’s Church, Turin, on Sunday for the 50th anniversary of its dedication. The Bishop of Meath, Most Rev Dr Tom Deenihan, assisted by the Parish Priest of Taughmon and Turin, Very Rev Declan Smith, celebrated Mass to mark the occasion. Among the congregation were those who had travelled long distances home to attend.
A pastel drawing of the church by local artist Denise Scally was presented to the bishop by her father, John Scally as a memento of the occasion.
After Mass, the congregation retired to a marquee to enjoy refreshments and an exhibition of memorabilia from 50 years ago. The exhibits included a poem penned by local poet John Sheehy and a photograph of the then Bishop of Meath, the late Dr John McCormack walking from the church with the scaffolding around the unfinished tower visible.
There were no mobile phones then, so there were not many photographs, but they blew up the front page of the Westmeath Examiner on which the dedication was covered, Fr Smith said.
Originally from near Moynalty, Fr Smith has been in the parish since 2001. He was delighted at the turnout on Sunday and said the local people are supportive and proud of their church.
The church was dedicated to St Joseph on St Patrick’s Day 1973 by Bishop McCormack, and its 50th anniversary was celebrated on St Joseph’s Day, March 19, 2023. It replaced the former St Joseph’s church that dated from 1830, the time of Catholic Emancipation and which had replaced an earlier church built there in 1780.