Passion Play the Centre-point of Holy Week Ceremonies in Castleisland

Members of the cast of The Passion of Christ in rehearsals for the Good Friday staging in Castleisland parish church at 8pm. Included are Front: Colm McAuliffe, Cormac Walsh, Millie Hughes and Muireann Walsh. Second row from left: Tommy Martin, Thomas Keane, Skye Lynch, Moira Hughes, Redmond Roche, Nora Walsh, Jean Horgan, Martina O’Donoghue, Pat Tarrant and John Breen. Back row: Mary O’Sullivan, Marie Nelligan, Ann O’Donoghue, Tara Howarth, Jerome Stack, director; Donal Nelligan, Timothy Murphy, Mary Howarth, Jerome Sheehy, Johnny McCarthy, Peter Howarth, Ned O’Callaghan and Joe Martin. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The drowsy desciples, Peter Howarth, Donal Nelligan and Tommy Martin being awoken by Jesus played by Redmond Roche during rehearsals for the Good Friday Passion Play which will be staged in Castleisland parish church at 8pm. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Johnny McCarthy and Tara Howarth pictured in rehearsals for the Good Friday Passion Play which will be staged in Castleisland parish church at 8pm. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Director, Jerome Stack preparing for rehearsals for the Good Friday Passion Play which will be staged at 8pm. ©Photograph: John Reidy

In conclave: Joe Martin (left) with Ned O’Callaghan and John Walsh in rehearsals for the Good Friday Passion Play which will be staged at 8pm. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Jack Shanahan adding the atmospheric backdrop to the rehearsals for the Good Friday Passion Play which will be staged in Castleisland parish church at 8pm. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The Judas act is performed by Seán McGuire and Redmond Roche in rehearsals for the Good Friday Passion Play which will be staged in Castleisland parish church at 8pm. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Jean Horgan (left) pictured with Nora Walsh, Redmond Roche and Moira Hughes in rehearsals for the Good Friday Passion Play which will be staged in Castleisland parish church at 8pm. ©Photograph: John Reidy

In rehearsals for the Good Friday Passion Play which will be staged in Castleisland parish church at 8pm. are: Donal Nelligan, Martina O’Donoghue, John Breen, Pat Tarrant and Peter Howarth. ©Photograph: John Reidy

It’s an enduringly sad and sorrowful story of the betrayal of a good man. It’s one that darkened the whole of Holy Week ever since the first, or certainly most celebrated, crucifixion over 2,000 years ago.

Its dramatic story line and turns and twists in the telling is what grips us and draws us back to it.

This Good Friday, tomorrow evening at 8pm a troupe of almost 40 actors in costume will be backed by narrators and the Castleisland Parish Choir of equal numbers as The Passion and Death of Christ will be staged around the altar area.

Sounds of Choral Rehearsals

The Church of Saints Stephen and John has been reverberating to the sounds of choral rehearsals as the robe clad actors sweep and gesture as if puppets to the narrations of Frances Moynihan, Jack Shanahan and Mark O’Donoghue.

This is the third year of the Good Friday Dramatisation of the Passion and Death of Christ in Castleisland; the first being staged here by the Tralee based St. John’s Parish Actors and Choir in 2015.

Fr. Dan Cast His Net

This year Fr. Dan O’Riordan cast his net within the parish to find home grown talent to take on the responsibility.

Jerome Stack stepped into the breach as director and with his came many of the Island Players group.

Actors from all over this and neighbouring parishes have rowed in and the rehearsals are going well – according to Jerome.

In fact he uttered the immortal theatrical line: “it will be all right on the night.”

Holy Week and Easter Ceremonies

The days of Easter are the most important in the Church year.

Church ceremonies in Castleisland will include the remembering of Jesus’ Last Supper with his friends and the first Eucharist.

On Holy Thursday, April 13th Castleisland Parish Church at 7pm there will be Mass of the Lord’s Supper in a commemoration of the Last Supper at which Jesus celebrated the first mass.

Blessing Eucharistic Ministers

The ceremony will include a blessing of Eucharistic ministers. There will be confessions after the mass

On Good Friday night at 8pm Jesus’ suffering and death will be dramatised in a solemn celebration of the passion. Communion will be distributed during the ceremony.

Stations of the Cross by candlelight from 9:30pm to 12 midnight in Castleisland Parish Church.

The Resurrection of Jesus

On Saturday night and Sunday morning there will be a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.

On Good Friday, April 14th there will be a commemorations of the time that Jesus died for us. These will be held at Cordal Church and Scartaglin Church at 3pm. Stations of the Cross in Cordal Church and Scartaglin Church with confessions afterwards.

Easter Sunday April 16th. : Masses at the usual times: 9:30am in Cordal; 10:30am in Scartaglin and at 11:30am in Castleisland.

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