The International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima is in our diocese from Thursday June 7th 2007 until Sunday June 24th 2007. The following is the list of venues where it will be. At each venue there will be a programme of prayers, etc., during the visit. The Statue will arrive at the venues at about 7.00 p.m. on the days listed below and will leave at about 12.00 noon on the following day.

At a gala function in the beautiful library of St. Joseph's College, Garbally Park, Ballinasloe on Monday December 18th 2006, "Meadow of the Miracles – a History of the Diocese of Clonfert" was launched. The author, Rev. Declan Kelly, wrote in the Preface that his initial intention was 'to treat of each parish as a historical unit within its own right, but finally, feeling that the whole was greater than the part, I opted for a chronological approach.' Thus, we have a volume which covers the history of the diocese from pre-Christian times to the centenary of the consecration of St. Brendan's Cathedral in October 2003.

The book was beautifully produced by Éditions de Signe with a great number of photographs, most of which were taken by Mr Theo Hanley of Kiltormer. Bishop Kirby, in his address to launch the book, expressed his delight at having such a mgnificent and scholarly history of the diocese.

Copies of the book can be bought from Fr. Kelly, Killoran, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway or from any parish of the diocese. The cost is €20 (plus postage and packing).

At the 12.00 noon Mass in St. Brendan’s Cathedral in Loughrea on Sunday October 12th, 2003, bishop Lajos Pápai of Györ presented the picture shown above to bishop John Kirby. The picture is a painted copy of the one presented to the Cathedral in Györ in 1663 by bishop Walter Lynch of Clonfert. You can read the full history of the painting in the article by Mgr Louis Page.