Killarney Friary Folk Group celebrates three decades

11.30am Mass at the Franciscan Friary in Killarney, Co. Kerry has been home to their folk group for the last 30 years. Many people have come and gone over that time and indeed some faces have been there from the very beginning.

Over the weekend of May 13-14 as many former and current members will gather together  at the Franciscan Friary, Killarney,  to mark this milestone with a private Mass on Saturday evening and the full contingent of 50 singers and musicians will perform at 11.30am Mass on Sunday morning. A celebratory lunch is planned for Sunday afternoon.

“It’s a unique group that has, we hope enhanced the 11.30am Mass at the friary for 30 years,” said Elaine Burke who has been in the group from the very beginning. “We’ve all made life-long friends through the group as well and we have always been fully supported and encouraged by all the friars that have gone through the Killarney Friary over that time.”

Another original member, and a well known Killarney performer, Derek O Leary said over the last few months “as we’ve been busy organising the reunion, we have been reflecting on members past and present and the time that has passed. We think we have sang at about 1400 Masses over that time, which is hard to believe.”