Victoria Mary Clarke says she found a 'level of peace' attending Christmas mass in Cork

The widow of the late Shane MacGowan, Victoria Mary Clarke, has said she found a ‘level of peace that had seemed out of reach’ by attending Christmas Day Mass in the Cork Gaeltacht church of Cúil Aodha this week.

Ms. Clarke, who lived and attended school locally in Scoil Naisiúnta Chúil Aodha and Coláiste Ghobnatan, was in Cúil Aodha with her family on the day her late husband, who died on November 30, would have celebrated his 66th birthday had he lived.

“I was lucky enough to be able to get to Mass in Cúil Aodha, home of the famous choir led by Peadar Ó Riada,” she wrote afterward on her Instagram page. 

“It was a transcendent experience to feel the joy and love in the church and in the congregation and in the healing voices of the choir.

“Shane always loved to take Holy Communion and he could really get a buzz from it and I definitely found a level of peace that had been feeling out of reach.

“Just the sound of the beautiful voices and the incense and the beautiful voices and the beauty of the Irish language being spoken was glorious and healing.

“And I was thrilled to meet my old headmaster from school, Mícheál Ó Lionáird who always encouraged me to be myself when I was at school even if that meant wearing a Mohican and a miniskirt.”

After Mass Victoria Mary posed for a picture with the Parish Priest, Fr. Seán Mac Carthaigh, and Cór Chúil Aodha director Peadar Ó Riada.

It won’t be the only Pogues-related activity in the Gaeltacht community this week as a local tribute band, Na Rógairí/The Rogues, featuring a number of Gaeltacht musicians and singers will be playing a festive gig on Thursday, December 28, in An Muileann in Baile Mhúirne.

Dáimhscoil Mhúscraí Uí Fhloinn, a poetry event in the bardic tradition, is to be convened in Cúil Aodha on Friday afternoon.

Since 1925, there’s been an annual poetry court in Cúil Aodha and it’s here local bards, song-writers and verse makers come to share their latest works.

In the past songs now famous around the world such as An Poc Ar Buile (the Mad Puck Goat) have had their first outing at this event which was established by three Cork poets almost a century ago. 

Pádraig Ó Cruadhlaoich (known as Gael na nGaedhal), Dómhnall Ó Ceocháin and Pádraig Mac Suibhne (An Suibhneach Meann and my grand uncle) set up the Dáimh Scoil in the tradition of the bardic courts of the 17th and 18th centuries.

This year’s event takes place on Friday, December 29, at 3pm in the hall in Cúil Aodha, Áras Éamonn Mac Suibhne.