In celebration of the Feast of St Willibrord, Patron Saint of Luxembourg and his Co Carlow connection the Right Reverend Michael Burrows, Bishop of Ossory, Cashel, Ferns, Lismore, Waterford and Leighlin along with the Most Reverend Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin invited 5th and 6th class pupils in primary schools in Co. Carlow to take part in an art competition.
Tuesday last, the winners of the competition gathered in Carlow County Museum, with their proud parents to accept their plaques and a class arts supply voucher from Bishop Burrows, Bishop Nulty and Cllr. Fergal Browne, Chair of Carlow County Museum.
First place went to Hannah Kehoe 6th Class Borris N.S., second place to Zach Cassells 6th Class, Carlow N. S. and joint third place to Kacper Gniedziejko 6th Class, Scoil Molaise and Catelyn James Gibbons 6th Class, St Mary’s N. S.
The winning student’s artwork beat off tough competition from around the county. Their pieces featured aspects of St Willibrord’s life, the life of a monk, the illuminated manuscripts they produced and medieval religious settlements from Co. Carlow.
This presentation comes in the lead up to a joint Diocesan Pilgrimage this June to Echternach, the town in Luxembourg where St Willibrord is buried in the vault of the monastery he established. The pilgrimage will be led by both Bishop Burrows and Nulty and in Echternach both Bishops will accept a Relic of St Willibrord for display in Co. Carlow. It will be taken on a ‘Walk with Willibrord’ on Saturday June 24th from St. Laserian’s Cathedral, Old Leighlin to the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow town via the Barrow Way. Carlow County Museum will also be hosting a special free exhibition in his honour starting this summer.
