The Storm has Passed for Fr. Pat Moore, RIP

Fr. Pat Moore leads his parishioners through Duagh village from the church to St. Bridget’s National School where a reception to mark the 25th anniversary of his ordination was held on Saturday evening. With him are Celia Harney and Alma Dempsey from Wexford and Mary Dowling from Lyrecrompane ©Photograph: John Reidy 7-7-2007

Members of Duagh Development Association meeting in the village on a Saturday morning in July 2012. Included are from left: Anne Quirke, Kieran Quirke, John Mangan, chairman; Tom MCCarthy, Fr. Pat Moore, PP Duagh; Bridget McAuliffe, chairperson Duagh Tidy Towns and B’Anne O’Connor. Photo by John Reidy 7-7-2012

Cutting turf on Ennismore Bog near Finuge on a Saturday morning in 2006 were from left: Jack Griffin, Ballyegan, Lisselton; Paul Kennelly, Finuge; Mike Joe Thornton, Irremore and Fr. Pat Moore, PP Duagh and Lyreacrompane. ©Photograph: John Reidy 08/07/2006

RTÉ Radio 1 presenter, Donncha Ó Dulaing pictured at Rathea on Tuesday afternoon on his Holy Wells Walk 2007 for Bóthar. Donncha is chatting here to Kay O’Leary, Lyreacrumpane and Fr. Pat Moore, PP. Duagh / Lyre. ©Photograph: John Reidy 14/08/2007

Fr. Pat Moore pictured before a Wednesday evening’s mass to celebrate the refurbishment of the Church of the Sacred Heart in Lyreacrompane. ©Photograph: John Reidy 31/5/2006

A Duagh delegation at the launch of Minister Jimmy Deenihan’s book ‘My Sporting Life’ at The Listowel Arms Hotel December 2011. Included are from left: Fr. Pat Moore, Johnny Byrne, Nancy and Bridget McAuliffe and John Joe O’Brien. ©Photograph: John Reidy 10-12-2011

Bishop Raymond Browne pictured after he celebrated mass on his first visit to Lyreacrumpane on Friday in the company of from left: Fr. Tim Grant, Fr. Tom McMahon, Larry Long, Fr. Pat Moore PP and Breda Keane. ©Photograph: John Reidy 13-12-2013

Duagh Tidy Towns Committee member, Kieran Quirke displayed his skills with a power washer during an Action Day gathering in 2012 with Lulu O’Connell and PP Fr. Pat Moore. ©Photograph: John Reidy 7-7-2012

Leading his flock: Fr. Pat Moore leads his parishioners through Duagh village from the church to St. Bridget’s National School where a reception to mark the 25th anniversary of his ordination was held on a Saturday evening in July 2007. With him are Celia Harney and Alma Dempsey from Wexford. ©Photograph: John Reidy 7-7-2007

The late Fr. Pat Moore’s 60th birthday remembrance will be held. ©Photograph: John Reidy 26/11/2006

In preparation: Fr. Pat Moore, PP Duagh (left) and Gabriel Fitzmaurice, Moyvane preparing for their parts in the launch of Dan Keane’s book ‘Around Athea’ in The Gables in Athea. The pint was Gabriel’s. ©Photograph: John Reidy 14/10/2005

Fr. Pat Moore with the Hillsiders Wrenboy group remembering Johnny Cash’s visit to Listowel during an extravaganza in the town square. ©Photograph: John Reidy 23/09/2005

A little over two years since they learned of his cancer diagnoses, the parishioners and friends of Fr. Pat Moore received the sad news of his death earlier today.

When he broke the news of his condition early in 2015, friends in the twinned Duagh and Lyreacrompane churches organised masses and offered prayers for his return to full health.

Fr. Jack O’Donnell was the celebrant in Lyre and Fr. Tom McMahon and Fr. Paul Dillon did the honours in Duagh.

Huge Crowds

Both masses attracted huge crowds from all corners of the joint parishes and well beyond.

The announcement of Fr. Moore’s illness deeply shocked his parishioners and messages of support poured in from all directions for the Asdee native.

In a blog on the caringbridge.org site, Fr. Moore wrote the following at the time:

“Today I got word of my PET scan appointment in Cork University Hospital next week. I am very aware and held by the Great Wall of support, prayer, good wishes and practical help around me that leaves me wanting for nothing.

Shock of the News

“The shock of getting the news on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes isn’t stuck into me, thankfully. The place I need to move to is Trust – trust in doctors and their care, and trust in he God who is making his presence felt in a very real way around me.”

Only last November 18th he packed the huge ballroom of the Listowel Arms Hotel for the launch of his book Weathering a Storm.

The book details his two-year battle with cancer and includes all the darkness and light on his journey to that point in his full life.

Another Great Saddness

He retired from his Duagh and Lyreacrompane duties as parish priest last year due to his failing health and this came as another great sadness to the parishioners who adored him there.

Fr. Moore also served in parishes in Gneeveguilla, Listowel, Lixnaw and he spent a term in Rome.

It was amongst his Duagh / Lyre friends and parishioners in July 2007 that he celebrated the 25th anniversary of his ordination. He first said mass in St. Brigid’s Church in Duagh and he then led his flock down the middle of the street on a fine summer’s evening to the school hall for a night of celebration.

Jesse James Tavern

He told a little group on the night about his first mass in his home parish in Asdee. The local Jesse James Tavern proprietor had no idea of what kind of a crowd to expect and he ran out of drink early on.

He later came up to the newly ordained, Fr. Pat as said. “Jesus Pat I could do with an ordination every six months or so.”

The Fr. Pat Moore Appreciation Society

Among the performers on the night of his 25^th in Duagh was a specially convened group with the working title: The Fr. Pat Moore Appreciation Society.

That in itself summed up the feelings the people of the parish had on the gem of a PP they had been blessed with. May God be good to him.

Funeral arrangements for the late Fr. Pat Moore will be announced later.

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