The book Challenge Courage and Call: The Word of God and Priestly Ministry by Archbishop Emeritus Michael Neary is being launched.
Host: Archbishop Francis Duffy, Tuam / Killala
Date: Saturday 11 July, 11:30am
Venue: Knock Bookshop
The book can be ordered from ACN Church Resources
A 5-day silent faith-renewal and healing Fr Bill Retreat, given by Fr Anthony Saji VC, is being held:
Date: Mon 28 Sept to Friday 2 October 2026
Venue: Allingham Arms Hotel, Bundoran, Co Donegal.
People of all ages, and from all walks of life are invited. Priests and religious are warmly welcomed.
For more information, call
The Secular Franciscan Order (Third Order) are organising a pilgrimage to Knock to mark the 800-year anniversary of St Francis (1226- 2026).
Date: Saturday 28 June 2026
Cost: €20
Book: The Abbey, St Francis Street.
The Irish Dominican are running a course for beginners in the study of Theology for people who want to learn more about their Catholic faith.
Dates: September 2026 to May 2027.
The course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the foundations of the Catholic faith.
No previous knowledge of theology or philosophy required, and there are no exams and no essays.
People taking part need to do one hour of personal study each week, and attend a 90 minute tutorial session.
There are 24 tutorials from September to May. Sixteen are Zoom. Eight are person (in Cork, Galway, Sligo or Dublin - and will be held on Saturdays, two sessions per day.
Subject in the course include:
The National Catholic Grandparents’ Association are holding their annual pilgrimage to Knock, to celebrate World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.
Date: Sunday 26 July, .
Time: Anointing at 2:30pm. Mass at 3:00pm followed by a rosary procession, (weather permitting)
Main celebrant: Archbishop Eamon Martin.
Ruach Catholic Ministry are sponsoring a short Inner Healing Retreat in Renmore in July.
Leader: Fr. Prince Clarence SJ
Date: Friday 10 July 2026
Time: 4pm - 8pm
Location: St. Oliver Plunkett Church, Renmore, Galway, H91 PX95
The evening will present faith formation based on the teachings of the Catholic Church and Inner Healing Adoration.
Programme: Rosary, Talk, Holy Mass, Inner Healing Adoration.
Confession will be available before Holy Mass if you have not attended in the past week.
For more information
The Council for Life of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference have announced their 2nd National Pilgrimage for Life,
This will culminate with Mass, including Anointing of the Sick at Basilica.
Date: Saturday 20 June
Time: Anointing at 2:30pm, Mass at 3pm, Rosay Procession afterwards
Venue: Knock Shrine.
Main celebrant and homilist: Bishop Niall Coll
Cost: €80 / €90
No experience or art skills required - instruction and all materials are provided.
The process is called icon-writing, not painting, because the end product is a sacred work, and visual theology, not just a painting.
Spiritual patron Fr Wojciech Szynk OP
Instructor: Joanna Alina Stempel OVd
To enrol, or for more information, phone Julian Drapiewski, 086 81 85 188.
The Galway Civic Trust are running a guided walking of Galway’s churches starting in summer 2026.
The tour looks at the history, architecture, art, and spirituality preserved within the places of worship in the city (primarily the city centre).
Guide: Dr John Jennnings
Date: from Wednesday, 10 June 2026, then every Wednesday (possibly just for the summer season.
Time: 2 PM
Meeting point: Hall of the Red Earl, Druid Lane, Galway
Duration: Approximately 2 hours
Cost: Free, but donations to the Trust are welcome.
Bookings: On the TickeTailor website
The Benedictine Nuns at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara are hosting a Centering Prayer Day Retreat on Saturday 13 June 2026.
A triduum in honour of St Anthony's will be held at the Franciscan Abbey in Galway city.
Date: Wednesday 10 to Saturday 13 June, 2026
Time: 10:30am and 7:30pm
Preacher: Fr Joseph Walsh, OFM
The 2026 annual Mass for Mervue Pioneer Centre is on Friday 12 June, 2026, at 8pm
Venue: Back room of Mervue Church.
All Pioneers from the Galway region are invited to attend.
Members who qualify for a membership pin (10, 25, 50 or 60 years), please phone 087 214 1070, before 7 June.
Join in praying for peace with Pope Leo.
See the livestream here:
https://www.nationalshrine.org/Mass/
(other links TBA)
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| Image adapted from Gabriel Philadelpho/Wikimedia Commons, CCby4.o |
Dates and times for 2026 summer-seas Cemetery Masses have started to be announced.
More details will be added to this post as they become available.
Ballinacourty (Clarinbridge): Friday 31 July, 7:30pm
Claregalway: Monday 1 June, 7:30pm
Oranmore Village: Monday 3 August, 7pm
Kilcamin (Maree) Friday 7th August, 7:30pm
Cemetery Masses or Blessing of the Graves is an annual tradition in Ireland.
One day every year, a priest visits each cemetery and says an outdoor Mass in memory of all the people who have been buried there. In large graveyards, this usually happens on Sunday - so the day becomes known as Cemetery Sunday. In small cemeteries, it often happens on a weekday.
People prepare for this by cleaning and decorating family graves
Live Jesus! And by His wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5)
A three day silent retreat, based on the life of St Thérèse of Lisieux, sacred scripture and psychology is being held at Knock retreat centre in Mayo.
Dates: 9am 15th June to 10am 19th June 2026.
The retreat will by led by Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales priest, Rev. Fr. Isaac John MSFS, and include spiritual sharing by Rev. Sr. AnnMaria, S.H who is the Evangelisation Chairperson (Director of New Evangelisation) for the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Great Britain.
Contact for bookings is Monica Gahan:
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| Photo from Wikipedia (adapt) |
There are two well-known lakes in Ireland which are called "Lough Derg".
Lough Derg (Shannon) is a large lake on the River Shannon, which is a major boating and tourist destination. It borders counties Clare, Galway, and Tipperary - and is usually the only option Google search gives if you've been searching for things in Galway.
It is not a traditional pilgrimage site, but the Lough Derg Way is a 70km walking route from Limerick City to Dromineer, County Tipperary, which includes some religious sites including St Flannan's Cathedral in Killaloe and Millenium Cross on the summit of Laghtea hill.
Lough Derg (County Donegal) is a smaller lake located near the village of Pettigo in County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. It is famous as an ancient place of Christian pilgrimage.
Station Island, also known as St. Patrick's Purgatory, is an island in the lough which now is the centre of a major pilgrimage programme.
The traditional pilgrimage is a 3-day experience, which includes prayer and quiet reflection which are heightened by physical challenges including bare feet, staying awake for 24-hour Vigil and fasting (one small meal is provided each day). However there are other options for visiting Station Island, including a one-day retreat which does not require fasting or barefoot walking.
More information about retreats at St Patrick's Purgatory is available on their website.
Galway-based Dominican Fr Conor McDonough is one of the speaker's at this years Ignite Ireland evangelisation conference.
Titled "Embers info flames", the event is being organised by the Irish Dominican friars.
The keynote speaker is American author, theologian, former Presbyterian pastor and now Roman Catholic apologist and teacher at the the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, Dr Scott Hahn.
Other speakers include:
Date: Saturday 23 May 2026,
Time: 9am to 7pm
Location: Dublin Convention Centre
The 2026 Summer Retreat (previously called the Ladies and Men’s retreats) at Glenstal Abbey in County Limerick will be held as two one-day retreats on 24th and 25th of June, 2026.
Each day begins with registration and refreshments at 10am.
The programme includes Mass, Lunch, a Holy Hour with optional confession, and afternoon tea.
Each day ends at 5pm, but participants are welcome to stay to stay for Vespers (ie evening prayer) at 6pm.
Places must be booked in advance - by emailing events@glenstal.ie or phoning 091 621 005.
Cost is $50 per person.
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel, Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland
American priest and digital evangelist, Father Mike Schmitz, will host his Parables Tour show in the National Stadium Dublin’s, on 20 July 2026.
This event will present the message of the Gospel in a novel, energetic and engaging style that speaks into lives today.
Young people (age 14+) from parishes, ecclesial movements and youth groups, and especially those who attended the Jubilee of Youth in Rome are invited to attend.
The Irish Bishops’ Council for Evangelisation, Catechetics and Pastoral Renewal, will host a special Mass at 5.00pm on 20 July in Saint Teresa’s Church, Donore Avenue, Dublin, at which Father Schmitz will preach.
Tickets from (from €49.75) Ticketmaster: https://www.ticketmaster.ie/artist/5466199?venueId=198253
The people from the archdiocese of Tuam joining with Waterford and Lismore for an annual pilgrimage to Knock shrine.
Date: Sunday May 3rd 2026
Followed by a Eucharistic Blessing and outdoor Rosary procession (weather permitting)
A bus is leaving Athenry (Arch carpark) at 10:30am on the day.
Bookings, call Assumpta 087 27006061 or Vincent 087 293 9367
He will be leading evening prayer in St Oliver Plunkett church in Renmore on Wednesday 29 April 2026, at 3:30pm. There will be times for Mass, rosary, adoration and personal testimony. All are welcome.
The programme for May devotions at the shrine of our Lady of Clonfert has been announced.
Programme summary:
The church is open for private prayer from 7am - 11pm each day.
Confessions are available 6 to 7:15pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Webcam of the church available here: https://www.churchservices.tv/clonfert
For queries or to book Mass-intentions , phone 090 967 5113 or email stBrensEyecourt@clonfertgalway.ie. During May, the parish office is open Monday - Friday, 10am to 2pm.
Scroll down to see full details of the programme as at 24 April.
Further details are available on this website.
See Catholic churches in east Galway for location details of the shrine.
