Dr Francis Lenny

The parish of kilmore was en-fete on sunday for the climax of the celebrations marking the elevation of their parish priest to the office of Auxiliary Bishop in the diocese.

Practically everyone In the parish turned up to enjoy a relaxed and varied programme of sport ranging from tug-o-war to ladles' football. In spite of the fact that competitors in all races were treated to lemonade - a high standard of competition was maintained !
Midway through the afternoon, Mr. Joseph Rafferty chairman of the organising committee, delivered an eloquent address to Bishop Lenny. He began by saying that his delight at the ordination of their parish priest as bishop was tinged with regret. knowing that his wider duties must take him from the parish. Although there was apparently a good chance that for some time to come the Bishop would be in residence in the parish, his wider responsibilities must eventually claim his total attention. Mr. Rafferty hoped that the Crozier, which he then presented on behalf of the people of Kilmore, would always remind the Bishop of them and keep them in his prayers.
To hilarious applause, Mr. Rafferty then outlined his manoeuvring of his committee to discover Bishop Lenny’s preference in relation to the other object they wished to present. Then, to the surprise of the Bishop—but of no-one else—Mr. Rafferty asked him to accept as a sincere token of the affection they had come to have for him, in the two eventual years he had been their parish priest, the keys of a car, which had been concealed in the crowd.

Accepting the gifts, Bishop Lenny said that he felt it most appropriate that the crozier, the symbol of his pastoral function as a bishop, should be given to him by the people of his own parish. He said that while the generosity of the people of Kilmore was a by-word in the diocese and, indeed, throughout Ireland, the budren of sacrifice for such a small community, in making such generous gifts, was so far beyond any expectation of what might be appropriate to the occasion, that he was genuinely lost for words. The recollections of the warmth of friendship shown him since he had come to the parish; of these most generous gifts; and the happy atmosphere of the setting in which the presentation had been made, would be with him all his life.
The programme of races and football then proceeded and was just completed before the long-threatened downpour began.
The day's activities were rounded off with a disco for the teenagers of the parish.
Catering for the day was In hands of the ladies of the parish.