Fenor 1996 – Diary of a Parish Community

 “Christmas Eve, 1995”

24th December, 1995

The Vigil Mass was celebrated by candlelight at 8 p.m. in Fenor Church tonight. The new crib, designed and made last year by Hugh Kerley, was erected by Dan Cowman and Michael Flynn, and in the window over the crib stood a traditional red Christmas candle. The candle was held in a beautiful bog oak stand, made from a root which came from a local bog. It has been cleaned and polished by Michael Flynn. It is truly a work of art.

The cottage was floodlit and the giant Christmas tree placed beside the garden was festooned with hundreds of tiny white lights. The community joined the choir of schoolchildren and Fr. O’Brien in the singing of the Mass and Christmas carols. Traditional carols were played by the Byrne family of Ballyscanlon with Mrs. R. Byrne N.T. on the organ.

One of the most beautiful of our Irish customs is the lighting of the Christmas candle in the kitchen window on Christmas eve. This was done in honour of the Holy Family which sought shelter on the first Christmas night and was refused. The light was also a beacon for the lonely and the homeless and signified that there was a bed for them beside the fire. The candle was lit by the oldest and youngest members of the family at nightfall.

On this night the farm animals were given an extra ration of feed because they also celebrate the birth of Our Saviour. Only the ass and the cows know the moment of Christ’s birth and, at this moment on Christmas night, they kneel down in adoration of the new-born King.