Annual Clonmacnoise open-air service to continue 74-year tradition

The Athlone Union of Parishes will host the annual Clonmacnoise open-air service later this month.

The service takes place at Clonmacnoise (eircode N37 V292) on Sunday, 26 July at 4pm, continuing a tradition that has brought worshippers together in one of Ireland's most significant Christian heritage sites for more than seven decades.

Held beside Temple Connor Church, the service has been an annual fixture since 1952, when more than 1,000 people gathered among the ancient monastic ruins for what became the first open-air service.

Since then, generations have returned on the last Sunday of July to celebrate the area's rich Christian history.

This year's Evening Prayer service will be led by guest preacher, the Dean of Clonmacnoise, the Very Rev Abigail Sines.

While the medieval cathedral at Clonmacnoise was destroyed in the sixteenth century, the title of Dean of Clonmacnoise has been retained within the Church of Ireland by the Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Trim, preserving a centuries-old link with the historic monastic site.

Temple Connor Church, the only roofed church within the Clonmacnoise monastic complex, has served the local Church of Ireland community since the eighteenth century.

Although the wider heritage site is managed by the Office of Public Works and welcomes visitors from around the world, the maintenance and preservation of Temple Connor Church depend on the support of the Athlone Union of Parishes and the wider community.

The church recently received a significant boost with the announcement that it is among 40 projects nationwide to receive funding under the Historic Structures Fund 2026.

A grant of €60,000 has been awarded to carry out roof repairs, insulation works and repointing, helping to safeguard the historic building for future generations.

Everyone is welcome to attend the outdoor service, with visitors encouraged to bring picnic chairs or blankets.

Following the service, refreshments and a community picnic will provide an opportunity for fellowship in the historic surroundings.

Further information is available by emailing athloneunionrector@gmail.com or templeconnorchurch@gmail.com. Updates can also be found on the Temple Connor Clonmacnoise Facebook and Instagram pages.