Rath Cairn group decamps to Rome

On St Valentine's weekend, the Ráth Cairn Church Choir and the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Thlachtga, a group of 55 people in all, visited Rome on the 25th anniversary of the founding of the choir. A special Mass in Irish was celebrated for the O'Neill and O'Donnell princes who are buried in the Church of San Pietro in Montorio. The celebrant was Monsignor John Kennedy. Present was Noel Fahy, the Irish Ambassador to the Holy See, and his wife. Members of the Irish community in Italy were also present. During the ceremony, Éanna " Cróinín on uilleann pipes played 'The Lament for " Néill' and "dhrán " Casaide on violin played 'The Lament for Domhnaill' over the graves. The Gaeltacht people presented a St Brigid's Cross to Monsignor Kennedy and to the parish priest, Anicento Gomez and to Bro Chris Kearns who helped to organise the tour. After the Mass, those present were invited to a reception in the Villa Spada, the Irish Embassy to the Holy See. The Gaeltacht visitors presented the ambassador with a St Brigid's Cross and a session of music, song and dance from Comhaltas Thlachtga followed.