Fr. Seán celebrates Ordination Golden Jubilee

June 22, 2023 Featured Stories, Home Slider, Weekly Observer

Fr. Oliver Plunkett, Fr. Seán O’Longaigh, Bishop Brendan Leahy and Fr. Muiris O’Connor. – Photo Mary O’Shaughnessy. – Golden Jubilee of Fr Sean O’Longaigh in Askeaton

Parishioners were out in force at the Golden Jubilee Mass for Fr. Seán Ó Longaigh at St. Mary’s Church, Askeaton, at the weekend.
Among the co-celebrants was Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy.
Fr. Seán attended Dromcollogher National School and first year post-primary at the local St. Mary’s Secondary School before moving to St. Munchin’s College, Limerick, the then-minor seminary for the Diocese of Limerick.
Afterwards he attended the national seminary of St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where, in the course of his studies for the priesthood, he took philosophy for his BA (Bachelor of Arts) and PhL (Licentiate in Philosophy) Degrees and Theology in his BD (Bachelor of Divinity) Degree.
He was ordained to the priesthood in his native parish of Dromcollogher in June, 1973, along with four other classmates ordained for the Diocese of Limerick. In fact, in 1973 there were eight priests ordained for the Diocese, something that occurred exactly 100 years previously.
Fr. Seán’s first appointment was to St. Enda’s Community School in the city, then one of the first post-primary schools of its type in the country.
In 1981 he volunteered to take part in the Limerick Mission to Africa, undertaken with the St. Patrick’s Missionaries, Kiltegan. Over the next four years he worked in the central Nigerian diocese of Minna, ministering mainly in the parishes of Bida and Zungeru. On his return to Limerick, Fr. Seán was appointed curate in Croom as well as chaplain to the local St. Mary’s Community College and to the shared chaplaincy of Croom Orthopaedic Hospital. After serving in Croom for 11 years, he was appointed as curate in Askeaton-Ballysteen in 1996. In the following year he succeeded Canon Michael O’Connor as Parish Priest.
He has remained in situ in Askeaton ever since. After his celebration Mass, several associations from the community made presentations to Fr. Seán, and this was followed by an enjoyable social gathering at the Top of the Town, where food, refreshments and entertainment were provided.
(See page 30 for more).