Covid gives Dominicans a very different Christmas

Masses returned to Claddagh Church yesterday (Thursday) after public services had to be cancelled over Christmas when the Prior of the Dominican Community tested positive for Covid-19.

Fr Donal Sweeney told the Galway City Tribune he got ‘the shock of his life’ when he tested positive for Covid-19 just two days before Christmas but said he’d ‘thankfully’ suffered only mild symptoms.

As the Dominicans live under one roof, that meant that he and his colleagues had to self-isolate and restrict their movements while they awaited the results of tests.

That meant all public services had to be moved online from Christmas Eve, explained Fr Sweeney.

“Because I live in a Dominican Community, we are all under the one roof so all those who live with me were designated close contacts and they were confined to barracks as well. That meant none of us were available to function in public.

“We took advice from our superiors, particularly the Provincial, and we decided to close to the public because we weren’t in a position to celebrate Mass,” he said.

“Because of that, all our Christmas services had to be conducted online.”

See full story in this week’s Galway City Tribune, on sale in shops now – or you can download a digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie