Colm Fitzpatrick and Susan Gately
Knock Marriage Introductions was a service of its time, and “has served its time”, according to director Fr Stephen Farragher.
The priest from the Tuam archdiocese who took over as director two years ago announced the closure of the service which brought about 960 weddings in its 51-year history.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, he explained the service was not financially viable and they did not want to “up the subscription fee” of €200. In recent years its income was supplemented by donations from dioceses around Ireland. “Obviously this is not sustainable long term,” he said. Meanwhile other organisations, like online dating services, were providing services so “demand isn’t sufficient”.
Leona Connery said that in her seven years as ‘chief matchmaker’ around 35 couples married and 30 more were in long-term relationships. Three couples matched through the agency will marry this year, and three more couples have got engaged. “I called a man in Limerick last week,” Ms Connery explained, “He said: ‘You got to me before I got to you. Have you heard the news? We got engaged!’”
Currently the agency has around 150 men and women on their books. Before the closure announcement on May 17, Ms Connery personally contacted many of them. “They said ‘Why didn’t you charge us more? We would have paid more.’ They were all very sad,” she said.
Couples who met through Knock Marriage Introductions commented on the personal nature of the service, said Fr Farragher. “We’re delighted we made a contribution in bringing happiness to the lives of at least 960 couples.”
Callers
Only those ‘free to marry’ in the Church (single, not previously married in Church or with Church annulments) could use Knock Introductions. “I used to ask callers who had been previously married ‘Do you have a Church annulment?’ Some wouldn’t have been aware that they could get a Church annulment,” said Leona Connery. She was sad the agency was closing but had enjoyed working there.
“I am so happy about all the people that I matched and are now happily married with families.”
