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Weddings

Weddings can be booked for St. Mary’s Belcruit, or St. Columba’s, Lackenagh by contacting the Parochial House, Lackenagh at 074 9542006 or Emailing us using the contact form on this website.

Please note that at least three months notice is required.

 

 

In preparing for your wedding you need to complete the following requirements

Pre Nuptial Enquiry Form

The Church has a set form that all people wishing to get married in the church need to complete. You need to get these papers filled in by the priest in the parish you are currently living in, and have been for six months. He will require an up to date copy of your baptismal certificate, that is, issued within six months of the date you contacted the priest to book your wedding. The baptismal Certificate will be available from the parish in which you were baptised. He will also require a certificate of your confirmation, if this information is not included on your baptismal certificate. He may require a letter of freedom from any other parishes you lived in since you reached the canonical age from marriage. This letter states that you did not marry while in that parish. In some cases, you may be asked for a sworn affidavit to prove you have never been married before. He may ask you to obtain a sworn affidavit that you have not married someone else previously.

 

Notice to the Civil Registrar.

Since 2007, the civil registrar has to be informed about your forthcoming wedding. They also require three months notice. You can contact them at:

Civil registration Office,
Tirconaill House,
Letterkenny,
Co. Donegal
074 9123771

if you live locally, or you can contact one closer to where you normally live in other parts of Ireland. They will ask to meet you face to face and you need to bring photographic ID with you in the form of Passport, Driving licence, etc. There is a fee for this service. They will give you the document that will be signed on the day of your wedding. This document is your responsibility and you need to ensure that it gets to the church on the day, and that it gets back to the registrar within one month. It may be prudent to give one trusted person sole responsibility for this document.

 

Planning your Ceremony
You can plan your wedding with the priest who has agreed to conduct your ceremony. He can furnish you with readings for your wedding and help you construct the ceremony.The following booklet link is a helpful one in putting your ceremony together: wedding booklet 

Readings

These are possible readings you can use for your service wedding readings  

 

Pre Marriage Course
Couples are required to complete a pre marriage course before their wedding. Details of such courses can be found at www.accord.ie

 

 

 

FAQ’s

Can I choose any priest to conduct my ceremony?

Yes. Most priests are given the task of celebrating weddings in their particular parish and so may not be free to travel to another parish to celebrate a wedding, but if you have a priest friend or family member who is willing to conduct your ceremony, we are delighted to accommodate you. Be aware that priests living outside Ireland are not recognised solemnisers by the state and have to get a special permission from civil law to conduct a wedding in Ireland.

Can I have poems instead of the bible readings?

No. You cannot replace the Word of God with poetry. You can however use appropriate poetry as a reflection after communion.

What happens if I forget to give the state three months notice?

You can go to court and get a special permission to get married within the three months of notice required.

Can I play love songs at the wedding?

No. Because you are asking God’s blessing on your wedding, the music needs to be sacred. Music is not simply an adornment of the ceremony, it is a prayer. So its words and meanings are very important in your service as they effectively make your wedding into a prayer.

Can I have as many bridesmaids and groomsmen as I like?

Although only two witnesses are required, you can have as many as can fit in the front seats.

What will I be asked in the Pre-Nuptial Enquiry Form?

The form looks for background information, Sacramental information, Marriage Preparation undertaken, Freedom to marry, i.e., no previous lawful marriages, no impediment to marriage, all permissions needed in the case of a mixed marriage, your willingness to marry, i.e., that you are not under duress. It also asks if your understanding of marriage is compatible with that of the church, that it can only be ended by death, that it involves a lifelong commitment of love and support, it involves fidelity, commitment to bringing up the children in the faith, etc.

Can I use an old Baptismal Certificate I have at home?

No. The Certificate must be a newly issued one dating from no more than six months from the date you booked your wedding. This is to help us establish that you are free to marry, as any previous marriage would be recorded on a new baptismal certificate.

Can I have extra candles and flowers at my Wedding?

Flowers are a lovely way to enhance the chapel on your wedding day. Those who prepare the chapel for the weekend Masses love to use your flowers for our weekend services if you wish to leave them behind you although many brides take them with them for an arrangement at their reception.

Many couples opt for the three candles on the altar, two that they light upon entering the chapel and the third lit after their vows. This is acceptable. Some couples ask for another candle to be lit in memory of a loved one. Again this is acceptable.

We have been asked not to allow extra decorative candles in the sanctuary area in our churches as the wax inevitably drips and makes a mess, especially on the carpet. There is also a health and safety issue with some arrangements of candles, i.e., in the aisle, on the sides of the seats. But some people have used large candle stands with electric candles throughout the chapel and these are fine.

A floral arch has often been used at the beginning of the pews and again, these are fine.

The local florist can help you fulfil your ambition regarding flowers: Mary McGinley, Tel 074 95 22122 or 086 809 8008, or any other florist of your choice.

Should I pay for the use of the Chapel on the day of my wedding?

If you are a regular contributor to the chapel in which you intend to marry, we do not seek any compensation for the use of the chapel. If you are not, then we would suggest that you would make an offering to cover the cost of the heat and light for your service. €100 should be sufficient. You should also consider a few Euros for the Altar clerk team, which should be quickly advanced to them after the service as they disappear rather quickly.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me

About

Kincasslagh Parish was formerly known as Lower Templecrone, and still referred to as ‘the lower parish’, as opposed to Upper Templecrone, which included Dungloe and the surrounding areas. Initially it encompassed what is now Annagry Parish, and so took in Ranafast and ran as far as the Crolly Bridge. In Dungloe, Lower Templecrone ran right up to the stream that runs through the lower main street.

St. Mary’s Church, in Belcruit was the parish Church of Lower Templecrone. Built in 1856, it has served the people of the parish for over a century and a half. A fire in the sacristy in 1927 saw it badly damaged, but was reopened in 1929 after repairs. The baptismal records between 1900-1927 were lost in the fire.

The Church is cruciform in shape, and boasts a fine gallery with a choir loft. The original altar made from Italian marble was adapted for the new liturgy after Vatican II and stands as an impressive structure in the sanctuary area.

The church is built right on the seashore, barely visible from the main road. Its position is confusing until you realise that in the time it was built, nobody had a car, and the beaches around the area were a popular path for locals to get from one place to another. Looking out from the back of the chapel, its positioning becomes clear. It served a pedestrian congregation who could easily access the church from the many beautiful beaches along our shore.

In 1895 the Church of St. Mary’s Star of the Sea was built in Annagry, and the shape of the parish changed considerably.

In 1899 St. Columba’s Church was built in Lackenagh, Burtonport as a second church in the parish of Kincasslagh and has served the people since. It is commonly known as Acres Church, taking its name from a nearby townland where St. Columba’s School is built. Although a smaller church, its importance increased with the boom in the fishing industry, which saw the village of Burtonport grow to a busy vibrant town. In the 1950’s, the parish priest moved to Burtonport and the parochial house in Kincasslagh became the house for the curate until 2004, when due to the falling numbers of priests in the diocese, Kincasslagh parish lost a priest.

In 1917 St. Crone’s Church was built on Arranmore Island and has served the Island with a curate ever since.

There are five National Schools in the parish. Scoil Mhuire, Belcruit, Scoil an AingilChoimheádaí, Keadue, and St. Columba’s National School, Acres are the three mainland schools, while Scoil Cholmcille, Leabgarrow and Aphort NS are the two island schools. Scoil MacDiarmada is the only secondary school in the parish and it is located in Leabgarrow, Arranmore Island. The mainland youth typically go to the secondary school in Dungloe. Before the school in Dungloe opened, the island children had to use boarding schools, mostly attending Holy Cross College, Falcarragh.

Kincasslagh and Burtonport Parish