Lough Derg honours former prior with new sanctuary

A new sanctuary in Lough Derg was dedicated to the late Msgr Richard Mohan – Prior of Lough Derg from 1990 to 2013 – during a ceremony on Sunday, April 19.

The dedication was attended by many of Msgr Mohan’s family members and friends, pilgrims, local parishioners and Lough Derg staff. The new sanctuary honours the legacy of “a man remembered as much for his deep spiritual leadership as for his lifelong passion for nature and conservation.”

“The site includes bird tables and nesting boxes, a tribute to the late prior’s well-known joy in birdwatching. During the pilgrimage season, Msgr Mohan was rarely seen without his binoculars and reference book of Irish wild birds close at hand.”

‘A Space to Remember’ has been developed “in sympathy with its natural features of rocks and rushes. Designed as a refuge for God’s creatures rather than a manicured garden, the area features native Rowan trees—historically significant to the Diocese of Clogher—and hardy Holly bushes, symbolising protection and eternal life.”

During the dedication ceremony, a plaque overlooking the water was unveiled, serving as a permanent reminder “of a man who found God in the ‘simple wonders of the outdoors’ and who took great satisfaction in working the soil.”