Oisín Nolan pictured after he was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Oisín is pictured with his parents: Elizabeth and Tony, brothers: Eamon and Finn sisters, Caitlín and Nadine with Gearóid Kelly and special guest, Colleen Leddy, from New York. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Members of the Brennan family pictured at Friday’s Confirmation ceremony. Included are: Shane, Michelle, Ali Cronin-Brennan, Mary Brennan, Saoirse, Lucy and Karen McKenna. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Gabrielle O’Brien pictured after being confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Gabrielle is pictured with her parents, Michelle O’Brien and Shane O’Sullivan. Included are: Helen O’Sullivan, Patrick O’Sullivan, Dana O’Brien, Caprice Lyne and Irene O’Brien. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Emma Enright pictured after she was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Emma is pictured with her mom, Ellen and sister Megan. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Catherine Cronin pictured after she was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Catherine is pictured with her parents: Liam and Hannah Cronin and uncle Timmy Sugrue. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Alfonso Marquez, pictured after being confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Alfonso is pictured with his host, Caroline Shanahan, Farranfore and her children: Oisín and Annie. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Paul Browne pictured after he was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Paul is pictured with his parents: Karen and Joe and brother, Pádraig. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Katelyn Brennan pictured with her parents, Eileen and TJ after she was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Bishop Ray Browne leaving the Church of Saints Stephen and John after the Confirmation ceremony on Friday afternoon. ©Photograph: john Reidy
Micheál Nix pictured with his parents Sheila and Colm and sister, Kelly-Anne after he was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday afternoon. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Alex O’Leary pictured after he was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Alex is pictured with his parents: Mary and Martin and brothers: Calum and Ian and uncle, Denis Kerins. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Luke Regan pictured after he was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Luke is with his parents Eddie and Helen, brother, Alex and sister, Ava, grandparents, Maureen and Sonny, uncles, Shane and Joe Walsh, aunt, Marilyn and cousins, Emily and Seán Walsh. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Ann Marie Callaghan pictured after she was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday afternoon. Ann Marie is pictured with her parents: Mairéad and Harry, brother, Jonathan and granny, Margaret McGlynn. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Seánie Broderick (left) pictured with Joe and Millie Browne after Friday’s Confirmation ceremony at the Church of Saints Stephen and John in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Gráinne O’Connor – pictured with her parents, Mary and William and her sister Orlaith – after she was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday afternoon. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Tommy Boyle pictured with his parents Tom and Anne after he was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Included are his sister, Leah and brother, Gary, granny Norrie O’Connor and uncle Danny O’Connor, and cousins: Alison and Marise O’Connor from the USA and Sorcha Doherty from Donegal. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Bryan Daly pictured after he was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Bryan is pictured with his parents: Marie and Jeremiah, brothers: Donnacha and Diarmuid and sister Máire. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Dane Hewitt pictured after being confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Dane is pictured with his mom, Siobhán with: Hariet, Trevor and Lisa Farrelly. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Lisa Flynn pictured after she was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday afternoon. Lisa is pictured with her parents: Florence and Máire, sister, Katie and brothers: Pierce, Jack and Paddy. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Daniel Costello pictured with his parents Johnny and Joan after he was confirmed by Bishop Ray Browne in Castleisland on Friday. Included are his brothers, Michael (left) and Johnny. ©Photograph: John Reidy
The huge importance of the sacrament of Confirmation as a major day in the lives of school children and their families was clearly evident here in Castleisland on Friday afternoon.
Bishop Ray Browne began the ceremony at 3-30pm with close on 100 pupils with all the primary schools in the parish represented.
The packed Church of Saints Stephen and John sat for just over 15 minutes short of two hours with family and friends providing a web of solid support for the pupils on their great day.
Though bitterly cold with a wicked breeze, the day remained bone dry and that relieved the congestion in the church in the aftermath of the ceremony.
There was abundant evidence of family members and friends travelling long distances to be here for the event. At least two families I met had guests from the USA and others, no doubt, welcomed family members from many parts of the country and beyond.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit received through Confirmation are:
1. Wisdom; 2.Understanding; 3.Knowledge; 4. Fortitude or Courage; 5.Counsel; 6. Piety or Love, and
7. Fear of the Lord.
