The Late Monsignor Martin Campion Thousands of people quietly filed by the body of one of Kilkenny's most respected parish priests after he passed away. The parish of Danesfort-Cuffesgrange-Kells is in deep mourning following the death of Monsignor Martin Campion. The funeral Mass took place at noon in Cuffesgrange and his remains were brought across the parish where he was laid to rest in Danesfort. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Laurence Foristal. Mourners paid their respects since Mon Campion was laid out in St.Michael's Church of the Holy Cross in Cuffesgrange. Mon Campion came to the parish in July 1990 and immediately impressed parishioners with his kindness. He was already well-known locally from his 20 years in St. Kieran's where he ended his days as the school's president and his programme on Radio Kilkenny. On his arrival in the summer of 1990, he got straight into his pastoral work and helped secure renovations to Church Hill NS which were carried out in 1992. This was the catalyst which spurred him onto many more structural and people-orientated projects. Then Monsignor added an extension to the cemetery and carpark in St.Michaels Church. He worked hand-in-hand with the department of education and the board of works to upgrade Burnchurch NS and St.Michael's National School, Danesfort. mon Campion was also instrumental in the building of a new primary school in Cuffesgrange which was officially opened by Education Minister Mary Hanafin last year. He recently gave lay people their saying the parish when he set up the Parish Pastoral Council and also the Parish Voluntary Steering Group. Best still to come Unfortunately, Mon Campion will not get to see the fruition of his most ambitious project; homes for the elderly in Danesfort. This complex, which was Martin's brainchild, will contain four one bedroom and one double bedroom houses for the elderly in the parish.It will also contain a community hall parish centre with cooking facilities, big enough to seat 100 people, which will also be used as child care centre. Mon Campion was one of the first in the country to broadcast Mass to the sick and elderly. He started off in the beginning using shortwave radios which he supplied throughout the parish but he later took a bold step and made broadcasts on the more reliable FM band. He broadcast Mass from St. Michaels Church, Danesfort every Sunday morning, which was the lifeblood of a lot of the elderly and sick in the parish until the authorities banned these broadcasts last year. Until his death, Mon Martin was working on legally restoring the Sunday morning local broadcast. Mon Martin's biggest love besides his family in Gortnahoe, was hurling, and he was delighted to take on the post of president of Danesfort GAA club when he came to the parish. He was a very active president and got involved in the day-to-day running of the club. There was only one more team he liked supporting more than Danesfort and that was his beloved Tipperary. He travelled all over the country to support his county side, usually accompanied by his long time friend and colleague, Kilkenny All-Ireland winning hurler Fr Tommy Murphy. The last game he attended was in Croke Park in March, to witness his parish team create history when they won the AIB All-Ireland Junior Club Championship. He got a standing ovation from the crowd in the Hogan Stand when GAA President Nickey Brennan announced that Mon Martin had come from his sick bed in the Mater Hospital to support Danesfort. The GAA paid their respects to Martin on Sunday, When a minute's silence in his honour, was observed in Portlaoise, prior to the Kilkenny versus Offaly clash in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship semi final. Mon Martin was born on February 26 1938, in Gortnahoe, Tipperary. He studied for the priesthood in St.Kieran's College before he became the first priest to be ordained by Bishop Peter Birch, in June 1963. He was first placed in the parish of Castletown for a year before travelling to London to do a course in speech, drama and communications. He returned to St.Kieran's where he used his new skills in the education of pupils and seminarians alike. Mon Martin was later honoured for his outstanding work being made president of the college and spent a total of 20 years at St. Kieran's. Courtesy of the Kilkenny People 15 June 2007 Tweet

Most Read Stories