Tipperary community turned out in force for blessing of new St Crispin statue

A large group of people from Ahenny, Faugheen and surrounding areas attended the blessing of a new statue of St Crispin at Ahenny (pictured above) on the feast day of the patron saint of cobblers, tanners and leather workers on Saturday, October 25.

Fr Paul Waldron, PP of St Nicholas & Faugheen Parish blessed the wooden statue commissioned by Faugheen Ahenny & Clashnasmut Tidy Towns and carved by master craftsman John Hayes of Special Branch Wood Carvings in Fenor in Waterford.

He celebrated a beautiful liturgy with readings and prayers read by those in attendance. Fr Waldron read the Prayer of St Crispin when he blessed the statue.

He shared the legend that if it rained on St. Crispin’s Feast Day, the saint looked out for shoemakers and prompted people to consider buying new footwear and galoshes. Luckily rain didn’t spoil the bright crisp October day the statue was blessed.

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A commemorative bookmark of the St. Crispin statue was given to everyone who attended the blessing and refreshments, including home baking generously donated by local people, were served up in the clubhouse in Faugheen afterwards.

The blessing ceremony took place the day after the announcement of the national SuperValu Tidy Towns Competition results.

The beautiful village of Ahenny has gone from strength to strength in the competition in recent years and its Tidy Towns committee put forward the idea for a statue last year.

In keeping with local heritage and the existing slate quarry sculpture trail, a statue of St Crispin was chosen as a suitable sculpture for the area as the ruined church of St Crispin is located beside Ahenny graveyard in the field looking down on the Lingaun Valley.

Helen Lanigan, Dick Lanigan, Dermot Lanigan, Mary Lanigan and front: Little Lucy Lanigan and Matthew Lanigan at the St Crispin statue blessing ceremony at Ahenny.

Check out more photos from the St Crispin statue blessing ceremony in this week's edition of The Nationalist now on sale in local shops. 

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