The Nenagh Church debacle, 1849

During the Great Famine, in 1849, an incident occurred in Nenagh, county Tipperary which as the Nenagh Guardian would later call it was ‘strange and historic’. Siding with the Curate, Rev Power, the people of Nenagh decided to defy the power of the Bishop and the new appointment to the parish and took matters into their own hands. If the curate was not to be given the job, they would prevent anyone from entering.

MANY STRANGE AND HISTORIC EVENTS are recorded in the files of The Guardian in the 19th and 19th and 20th century but the episode of the nailing of the doors of the church in Abbey St, Nenagh, must be one of the most peculiar ever chronicled in a provincial newspaper.

It all began in October 1849 when the parishioners in open defiance of their Bishop barricaded the doors of the church because their favourite priest had not been made parish priest.

There are claims and counter claims as the controversy rages, and with the dismissal their favourite priest from the parish the parishioners become more enraged. A large body of masons and labourers built up the doorway of the church with stone and mortar to make doubly sure that the church should not be entered or opened by friends of tine Bishop or Parish Priest by either force or stratagem.

The Guardian' commented: 'This is a strange occurrence in, Roman Catholic Ireland, when there .is as little value set on the authority of the Bishop as there appears to be on the celebration of Mass".

One of those rare events which has taken place in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, in Ireland, indeed we- do not think such has ever occurred in any part of the Roman Catholic Europe, has happened this morning at the chapel in Nenagh, when the doors were bared and nailed up to prevent the Rev. Thomas Kenny, late PP of Castleconnell, and now promoted to Nenagh parish, when about to enter the chapel for the purpose of saying Mass.

It will be necessary for the information of those who are unacquainted with the tactics or local knowledge of the Romanish Priesthood of this district to give a round untarnished tale of late events, in order to elucidate the cause of this extraordinary proceeding.

The Rev. Ambrose O'Connor had for a period of 31 years been the Parish Priest of Nenagh, but Who from declining years, being at a very advanced period of life) and from illness, consequent of age — resigned a few days ago to the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese, the Right Rev. Dr Kennedy. The Bishop appointed the Rev. Thomas Kenny to the parish, formerly PP of Castleconnell. About 11 years since, the Rev- Kenny was CC in Nenagh, and when here a general favourite, and with none more so that the Protestant inhabitants of the town and its vicinity. When a vacancy occurred in Castleconnell he was promoted to that parish.

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