Easter Sunday Dawn Masses for 2017

04 Apr 2017

‘On the first day of the week, at early Dawn they went to the tomb….’ he is not here, he is risen’. (Luke 24, 1, 6)

Many Irish dioceses and parishes will host dawn Masses on Easter Sunday morning. Dawn Mass is a very spiritual opportunity to celebrate Mass while watching the dawn break over the countryside. Here are details of some of the places hosting an Easter Sunday dawn Mass this year:

Diocese of Achonry

There will be a dawn Mass at Ballisodare Bay in the Parish of Ballisodare at 6.20am and there will also be one at Straide Abbey in the Parish of Straide at 6.00am. There will also be a dawn Mass at Craggagh (Parish of Foxford) at 6.30am

All are welcome.

Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois

There will be a dawn Mass at 6.00am on Easter Sunday in Kilmahon. If the weather is bad, the Mass will celebrated in Ballinamuck Church.  There will also be a dawn Mass at 5.45am at the Famine Grounds behind Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Longford town. This Mass replaces the 8.00am Mass in Saint Mel’s Cathedral. 

There will also be a dawn Mass in Clonmacnois Monastery at 6.00am on Easter Sunday morning. 

Archdiocese of Armagh

  • Ardboe Parish Pastoral council has organised a dawn Mass at Ardboe Cross, Ardboe, County Tyrone to coincide with sunrise (6.21am on Sunday 16 April) on Easter Sunday morning. Mass will commence at 6.00am and all are welcome. 
  • There will also be a dawn Mass in Cooley Parish, Co Louth in Cill Mhuire Cemetery at 6.ooam.
  •  The Annual Dawn Mass in Faughart Graveyard will take place on Easter Sunday at 6.00am.    

Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly

A dawn Mass will take place at 6.00am in Killinan Cemetery.  

Diocese of Clogher

There will be an Easter Sunday Dawn Mass in Co. Fermanagh, leaving Boho Church car park at 6.45am for Mass at the townland of Reyfad followed by breakfast in Boho Community Hall. All welcome. 

There will also be a dawn Mass in the parish of Killanny, (near Carrickmacross), Co Monaghan. Procession from Killanny Hall at 6.00am to the Mass site at Annacroft for Mass at 7.00am. Breakfast afterwards in Killanny Hall. Killanny can be accessed from the N2 south of Carrickmacross or from the Carrickmacross-Dundalk Road. 

Diocese of Clonfert

  • Abbey Duniry Parish at 5.30am at Our Lady’s Well, Abbey.
  • Clontuskart Parish at 6.00am in the ruins of the Old Augustinian Monastery.
  • Ballymacward Parish at 6.30am in Cloonkeenkerril Cemetery, Gurteen, Ballymacward.
  • Ballinakill Parish at 6.00am at Ballinakill Millenium Park.
  • Loughrea Parish at 6.00am on the shore of Loughrea Lake at the Long Point.
  • Woodford Parish at 5.45am at Woodford Bay.

Diocese of Cloyne

Easter Morning dawn Mass at 7.00am at Saint Mary’s Church, Waterloo, Blarney, Co Cork as part of the Bi-centenary celebrations of the church.  All welcome.

Diocese of Cork and Ross

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart will be celebrating an Easter Sunday Dawn Mass  in the grounds of the Sacred Heart Church, Western Road, Cork at 6.00am.

Diocese of Down and Connor

Easter Sunday Dawn Mass at 6.00am on Saint Patrick’s Mountain, Saul.

Diocese of Elphin

  • Knocknarea, Co Sligo at 7.ooam
  • Father Flanagan Memorial Garden, Saint Croan’s Church, Ballymoe at 6.ooam
  • Loughnanéanne Park (site of Old Abbey Ruin), Roscommon Town at 7.00am
  • Aughanagh Parish celebrates the Dawn Mass at Galilee Community, Tintagh, Boyle at approximately 6.00am (sunrise).  

Diocese of Kerry

There will be a dawn Mass in Annagh Cemetery, Tralee at 6.00am on Easter Sunday Morning. The Mass is organised by Saint John’s Parish, Tralee, Co Kerry. All are welcome. 

Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin

    • Newbridge Parish: Saint Conleth’s Parish Church gardens in Newbridge, Co Kildare at 6.00am. 
    • Graiguecullen/Killeshin Parish: Oisin House, Lower Rossmore at 6.00am
    • Monasterevin Parish: Grounds of Moore Abbey at 6.00am, Bishop Denis Nulty is presiding.
    • Clane Parish: The Abbey Garden at 6.00am.
    • Portaloise Parish: The Heath at 6.00am.
    • Bagenalstown Parish: There will be an Easter Sunday dawn Mass at 6.00am at Nine Stones, Mount Leinster. This is a special invitation to celebrate Mass while watching the dawn break over the countryside. Buses will leave Bagenalstown at 4:30am from outside the Parish Church.  People are encouraged to wrap up well in warm clothing and to bring hot drinks and snacks if necessary. Traffic will be free to flow from 3.00am to park at the Nine Stones. At 5.00am sharp, no cars will be permitted up to the Nine Stones. Parking from then will be at Corrabutt Gap and Tom Duff with a free shuttle bus service from car parks either side, up to the Nine Stones for Mass.

Diocese of Killaloe

There will be an Easter Sunday Dawn Mass in Ilaunamanagh Cemetery, a breathtaking view over the Shannon Estuary in Shannon Parish, at 6.00am. Father Arnold Rosney will be celebrant and will be joined by the choirs from Shannon Parish led by the parish folk group.

There will also be a dawn Mass in the Old Graveyard, Drumcliffe at 5.30am on Easter Sunday. 

Diocese of Meath

There will be a dawn Mass at the Mass Rock on Loughanleagh Mountain at 5.55am. Breakfast afterwards supplied by the local ladies. LoughanLeagh Mountain is located in east Cavan between the towns of Bailieborough and Kingscourt. 

There will also be Dawn Masses in the following venues in the Diocese of Meath:
Drumraney, Co. Westmeath: Dawn Mass at 6.15am in the old cemetery
Fore Abbey, Co. Westmeath: Dawn Mass at 6.00am
Mullingar, Co. Westmeath: Dawn Mass at 6.15am at Lough Ennell
Nobber, Co. Meath: Dawn Mass at 6.00am in the old cemetery
Raharney, Co. Westmeath: Dawn Mass at 6.00am
Tullamore, Co. Offaly: Dawn Mass at 6.00am at the site of the original parish church

Diocese of Limerick 

  • St Mary’s, Limerick City at 5.45am on the banks of the Abbey River (Goose’s Corner)
  • St Nicholas (Westbury) at 5.45am at Shannon Fields
  • Cratloe, Limerick at 6.00am at the grotto at Sixmilebridge 

Archdiocese of Tuam

There will be dawn Mass on Easter Sunday at 8.00am on the shores of Lough Carra at Castle Bourke, Ballintubber Abbey. 

There will also be a dawn Mass at Murrisk Abbey (opposite the Croagh Patrick car park) on the shores of Clew Bay at 6:30am on Easter Sunday morning. All are welcome. 

Additional dawn Mass listings will be added here as we receive the information.

Notice to those attending dawn Masses: Please check local parishes for more information on venues. People travelling to Masses are asked to arrive on time. Please bring warm clothing, a folding chair or stool (for your own comfort) and where possible share transport in order to assist with parking at venues.

ENDS