Hundreds of people gathered in Star of the Sea Church, Quilty, on Bank Holiday Monday 4th June as local man Martin Shanahan celebrated his First Mass. It was in the same Church 26 years ago this June that Martin married the love of his life, Mary Margaret Flaherty. At the beginning of Mass after welcoming everybody Martin lit a candle to honour the memory of his wife who died in 2011. His son Eoin once again played the organ for his father’s first Mass and the combined choirs who sang at the Ordination Mass in Mullagh led the singing. After Mass Fr Martin spent hours in the Church giving his first Blessing to people as the community gathered in Quilty to celebrate this great occasion in the life of a community by the sea.