Summer 2026: What the Councils Did

31 August 2026

Twelve Knights of St Columbanus in blue, red, purple and green regalia, seated and standing in two rows on a grass verge in bright sunshine, with trees and a blue sky behind them.

Brothers after the annual outdoor Mass for St Oliver Plunkett at Loughcrew, Oldcastle, County Meath, 28 June 2026.

The councils do not stop for the summer. Between June and August 2026 they received eight new Brothers at three ceremonies, stewarded an ordination, walked a leg of the Columban Way, crossed to Lough Derg twice, followed the relics of St Oliver Plunkett around three counties, ran the first event of its kind in Ireland for young people, kept a foodbank stocked, and sent the Supreme Knight to Colorado.

This is an account of that summer, gathered from what the councils themselves reported.

Eight new Brothers

June brought three reception ceremonies. On 13 June three new Brothers joined the Order at the O'Neill Centre in Belfast, from CK2, CK36 and CK41. The following day Area 3 held its reception in St Malachy's Church, Armagh, receiving three more, two of them for CK10 and one for CK8, among them a permanent deacon. On 28 June two more were received at Ely House for Area 1, both joining CK146.

Brothers of the Order in blue and red regalia standing with a priest in a room at Ely House, beneath a painting and the Order's banner. — *Brothers at Ely House on 28 June, when two men were received into the Order.*

Eight men in sixteen days, in three jurisdictions of the Order, received by their own councils in their own places.

Serving the dioceses

The ordination of Fr Thomas Hampton in St Patrick's Memorial Church, Downpatrick, brought clergy, religious and faithful together from across the Diocese of Down and Connor. Brothers from CK2, CK12 and CK36 worked the day together, providing parking assistance and stewarding. Fr Hampton's Mass of Thanksgiving followed on 29 June in St Patrick's Church, Saul.

Brothers of the Order in blue and white regalia standing in two rows before the sanctuary of St Patrick's Memorial Church, Downpatrick, with a priest in white and gold vestments at the centre. — *Brothers of CK2, CK12 and CK36 at St Patrick's Memorial Church, Downpatrick, on the day of the ordination.*

The Brothers of CK12 Downpatrick had been at Saul three weeks earlier for the Saul Sunday Pilgrimage, which fell this year on the Feast of Corpus Christi. Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ celebrated Mass, assisted by Fr Aidan Brankin PP, Fr Jim Conway CC, Deacon Jackie Breen and clerical student Gareth Quigley. An uncertain forecast moved the Mass from St Patrick's Monument into St Patrick's Church, Saul, which keeps behind its altar the ancient altar stone on which tradition holds that St Patrick himself celebrated Mass. Brothers and families came from CK2 North Belfast, CK3 Belfast, the Provincial Council and other councils.

Brothers of the Order in regalia lined up on either side of the path outside St Patrick's Church, Saul, under a grey sky. — *Brothers outside St Patrick's Church, Saul, on Saul Sunday.*

In August the Chaplaincy at Queen's University Belfast gave an evening to the promotion of priestly vocations, and invited Bro. Charlie Clarke and Bro. Michael Delaney to present the work of the Northern Area Committee throughout the Northern Diocese.

The young people of the parishes

Five years ago CK98 decided to make outreach to young people a priority, and this summer showed what that decision has produced.

On 6 June St Grellan's Council in Ballinasloe hosted teams from four dioceses, Clonfert, Elphin, Galway and Ossory, for Ireland's first Come, Follow Me Faith and Fun Clubs' Bible Quiz and Scavenger Hunt. Mass was celebrated and the clubs were entrusted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Four days later Bishop Michael Duignan was principal celebrant at a Mass at which more young people took the Pioneer Pledge, followed by a treasure hunt and party the council paid for. Fifty young people and their families came.

The council was at Camp Veritas twice in June. The Supreme Knight, Bro. John Murphy, and his wife represented the Order there on 25 June, and Bro. Damien Farrell of CK98 gave a full week of his time as a volunteer. Bro. Justin Harkin, who was with him, writes that they left mindful of the work of the Holy Spirit among the young people there.

Elsewhere, CK36 completed its annual round of Honour the Faith Award presentations across six schools in the Falls Family of Parishes, recognising the faith, commitment and values shown by young people in the parishes. CK83 Tullamore sponsored a poetry project in Scoil Mhuire primary school on the theme of Mary and the month of May: forty-eight girls in fifth and sixth class took part, four pieces were chosen, and all forty-eight poems went on display in the Church of the Assumption.

A bevelled octagonal glass award resting on red satin, engraved Honour The Faith Award above the Order's winged crest and the motto Instaurare Omnia in Christo, and below it Presented by the Order of The Knights of St. Columbanus, Council 36. — *The Honour the Faith Award, presented by Council 36.*

St Oliver Plunkett

The saint was carried across three counties this summer. In early June his relics came to the Diocese of Kilmore Pastoral Centre in Cavan Town, with Brothers from Cavan in attendance for the day. On 28 June the annual outdoor Mass in his honour was celebrated at Loughcrew, Oldcastle, where he was born in 1625, with Bishop Denis Nulty as chief celebrant. The festival weekend in Drogheda followed at the start of July.

The outdoor Mass at Loughcrew: a bishop in red vestments at an altar under a white marquee hung with yellow and white bunting, with banners either side and trees behind. — *The outdoor Mass for St Oliver Plunkett at Loughcrew, 28 June.*

Then, over the weekend of 5 July, members of CK112 brought a relic of St Oliver Plunkett to the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Kingscourt, County Cavan, timed to fall just after his feast on the first of July. The relic was present at the parish Masses across the weekend, and Brothers accompanied it in procession with the parish's altar servers.

Five Knights of St Columbanus in blue and gold regalia standing either side of the altar in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Kingscourt, with the golden reliquary of St Oliver Plunkett between them and a framed portrait of the saint below it. — *Members of CK112 with the relic at Kingscourt, 5 July.*

Venerable Matt Talbot

The Matt Talbot programme ran the whole length of the summer. It opened in Ballinasloe at the end of May, where Bro. Justin Harkin and Brothers of CK98 joined members of the local Pioneer Total Abstinence Association for a screening of the film about his life.

In June, Michael Murphy spent a week on the road with the relics and the film: Longford Cathedral with the Legion of Mary, the Carmel Horan Prayer Group in Offaly, and Sligo Cathedral with Bro. Barry McMahon and the Brothers from Sligo. The Order's Matt Talbot Committee then took the film to Newcastle Community Cinema on 4 September, hosted by CK12 Downpatrick with the support of Council 36, with Michael Murphy speaking afterwards and taking questions.

Brothers of the Order in blue regalia, with a priest, standing on the sanctuary steps of a cathedral with blue-painted arches, beside a framed portrait of Venerable Matt Talbot and the reliquary. — *With the relics of Venerable Matt Talbot during the week on the road in June.*

The next evening is at St Mary Star of the Sea, Killyleagh, on Friday 6 November from four o'clock, with veneration of the relics, Confession, Benediction, the film and a question and answer session. All are welcome.

On pilgrimage and on foot

Since 2016 CK98 has organised a three-day pilgrimage to Lough Derg for women and men of the greater Ballinasloe area, led every year by Bro. John Coughlan. This year's pilgrims, among them Bro. Sean Kelly and Bro. Justin Harkin, met Bro. Luke McCann on the island, who continues his work with Human Life International.

Pilgrims, men and women in warm coats, seated in the cabin of the boat crossing to Lough Derg, smiling at the camera, with the lake through the windows behind. — *CK98's pilgrims on the boat to Lough Derg.*

Area 2 went to the same island in August. The day retreat on Saturday 29 August was arranged by Bro. Charlie Clarke: Brothers, family and friends meeting at the booking office at nine, crossing together in one boat, and Mass to close the day before the four o'clock crossing back.

On 20 June CK35 and CK151 held their second annual Mass at the Colin Glen Mass Rock in Belfast, celebrated by Fr Rory Sheehan and Fr Patrick Devlin, with a Rosary walk up from the lower Glencolin Road beforehand. The site sits at the base of a ravine, marked by a stone altar and a wooden cross. It is one of several Mass rocks hidden in the hills around Hannahstown where, during the Penal Laws, local people gathered quietly to hear Mass in secret.

Poster: Holy Mass at Colin Glen Mass Rock, Saturday 20 June, Mass at 11.30am, with a photograph of the mass rock and its cross among trees. Two ways to get there, a pilgrim walk from Colin Glen main car park or by car. All are welcome. — *The poster for the Mass at the Colin Glen Mass Rock, 20 June.*

The same Saturday, CK40 and the Friends of St Columbanus walked a leg of the Columban Way from Clonard to Trim.

Charity, quietly

Bro. Denis O'Neill of CK1 Belfast delivered the council's collection of food and toiletries to the foodbank on 19 June, carrying back the foodbank's thanks to every Brother who has contributed over the years. The collection pauses for the summer and starts again in September, with a particular push in the run-up to Christmas.

In Drogheda, Bro. Jim Garvey and Bro. Larry McGrane presented a cheque to Pio Smith of the Red Door Project, an addiction service in the town, for use in its services to clients.

Two Brothers in blue regalia either side of a man in a dark sweater, handing over a cheque in a meeting room. — *Bro. Jim Garvey and Bro. Larry McGrane present the cheque to Pio Smith of the Red Door Project.*

Long service, marked

Bro. Michael Dunne of CK83 Tullamore was given honorary life membership of the Order. He has been a mainstay of his council since he joined, and has served as Deputy Grand Knight and as Grand Knight several times over.

Six men standing in a row before the sanctuary of a modern church, under a stained glass window, one of them holding a framed certificate. — *The presentation to Bro. Michael Dunne of CK83 Tullamore.*

In July the Brothers of the Area 2 Provincial Executive and their wives gathered at Deanes at Queen's in Belfast to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the ordination of Fr Henry McCann, Chaplain to Area 2, and presented him with a crystal glass vase.

The Order abroad

The Supreme Knight represented the Order at the 144th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus in Denver, Colorado, in early August, where he met Patrick Kelly, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus. Among those he met were two Knights of Columbus from Ukraine, whose councils have lost eight Knights killed and five missing in action, and Brother Arnaud from France, where the Knights of Columbus have been established since 2015. They have just been established in Spain and are now in thirteen countries.

The Supreme Knight, Bro. John Murphy, shaking hands with Patrick Kelly, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, in front of a large Knights of Columbus emblem on a blue curtain. — *The Supreme Knight with Patrick Kelly, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, in Denver.*

He also brought home COR, a Knights of Columbus initiative for all the men of a parish, built on prayer, formation and fraternity. The materials are free at kofc.org/cor, and councils looking for a way to draw in the men of their parish may find it worth a look.

From the archive

In mid-June there was a celebration in Whitefriars Church, Dublin, marking twenty-five years since the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux came to Ireland. The Order still has photographs of their visit to Ely House in 2001.

What is coming

St Columbanus Day XXVIII will be held in Bangor and Belfast from 11 to 13 June 2027. Bangor is where Columbanus was formed under St Comgall before he set out for the Continent.

Before that come the Order's Stated Annual Meeting at Trim, from 9 to 11 October, and the Matt Talbot evening at Killyleagh on 6 November. Members will have the arrangements from their own council.

Has your council a story to tell?

Everything above came from a Brother who took the trouble to write it down. Send us your council's events, write-ups and photographs through the form on the website. Rough notes are welcome, and we will do the polishing.