Our Lady of Clonfert: Story, Location & Mass Times

There are some statues that quietly anchor a community’s faith for centuries before the wider world takes formal notice. The Clonfert Madonna—a carved wooden figure of Mary—has been drawing pilgrims to a small church in County Galway for generations, but it wasn’t until May 2022 that the Church officially recognised it as a diocesan Marian shrine.

Year recognised as diocesan shrine: 2022 ·
Location: Clonfert, County Galway, Ireland ·
Statue name: Clonfert Madonna ·
Estimated century: 13th–14th century ·
Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Clonfert

Seven key facts, one pattern: the shrine’s story blends medieval craftsmanship, local legend, and formal recognition that came only in 2022.

The implication: a single wooden statue, possibly created before the Black Death, became a focal point of Marian devotion that the diocese finally codified in 2022.

What is the story of Our Lady of Clonfert?

Origins of the statue

• The wooden carving is authoritatively dated from the late 12th to the early 14th century (Catholicireland.net).
• It may have come from Clonfert medieval Cathedral or from the Abbey of Saint Mary de Portu Puro (Independent Catholic News).
• Local folklore says a woodcutter discovered the statue hidden in a hollow oak tree in the 19th century after the tree bled; the accident severed the statue’s left arm (Independent Catholic News).
• The statue is believed to have been hidden for safekeeping during the Cromwellian persecution of Catholics in Ireland (Independent Catholic News).

The pattern: a likely medieval Madonna, passed through centuries of upheaval, resurfacing through a supernatural-sounding woodcutter story that the Church doesn’t officially confirm but doesn’t dismiss.

Recognition as a diocesan shrine

• On 31 May 2022, the Shrine of Our Lady of Clonfert was formally recognised as a Diocesan Marian Shrine (Independent Catholic News).
• The recognition was made by Bishop Michael Duignan, who simultaneously serves as Bishop of Clonfert and Bishop of Galway (Independent Catholic News).
• The diocese’s Facebook page confirms the shrine was “erected as a Diocesan Shrine” in 2022 (Diocese of Clonfert Facebook).

The catch: the statue had been venerated for decades, possibly centuries, before the formal designation gave it canonical status.

Where is Our Lady of Clonfert?

Address and parish

• The statue is housed in St Brendan’s Church, Clonfert, in the Parish of Eyrecourt, Clonfert and Meelick (Independent Catholic News).
• The church is located in Clonfert, Ballinasloe, County Galway, with postal code H53 D702 (ChurchServices.tv).
• The church is open daily from 8am to 10pm (ChurchServices.tv).

Relation to Clonfert Cathedral in Loughrea

• The Cathedral of the Diocese of Clonfert is actually in Loughrea, not Clonfert (Independent Catholic News).
• Loughrea Cathedral also houses a shrine, often causing confusion between the two sites.
• The shrine of Our Lady of Clonfert is a separate location from the cathedral, about 10km away.

The trade-off: visitors expecting a grand cathedral may find a modest country church; the Marian shrine’s power lies in its simplicity and continuity.

What time is mass in Clonfert?

Weekend masses

• Mass is held each Sunday morning at 10am (ChurchServices.tv).
• The parish covers Eyrecourt, Meelick, and Clonfert; check local listings for other Sunday times.

Weekday masses

• The Diocesan site notes that during the May devotions there is a Mass or liturgical celebration each evening (Catholicireland.net).
• Outside May, weekday Mass times are available from the parish office: +353 91 563566 (Diocese of Clonfert).

Live streaming options

• St Brendan’s Church offers a live stream via ChurchServices.tv (ChurchServices.tv).
• This allows remote pilgrims to follow devotions, especially during the May programme.

What this means: for most of the year, the shrine is accessible for private prayer during church hours, but the communal dimension lives through the May devotions and the Sunday Mass.

Timeline

• Late 13th – early 14th century: Statue of Our Lady of Clonfert (Clonfert Madonna) created (Independent Catholic News).
• 17th century: Statue hidden during Cromwellian persecution (Independent Catholic News).
• 19th century: Woodcutter allegedly discovers statue in a hollow oak tree (Independent Catholic News).
• 31 May 2022: Shrine formally recognised as Diocesan Marian Shrine by Bishop Michael Duignan (Independent Catholic News).

The pattern: each era left its mark—medieval craftsmanship, Reformation-era hiding, 19th-century folklore, and finally 21st-century canonical status.

Clarity: what we know for sure and what’s still uncertain

Confirmed facts

• The statue is a carved wooden Madonna from the late 13th or early 14th century (Independent Catholic News).
• It is housed in St Brendan’s Church, Clonfert (Independent Catholic News).
• The shrine was formally recognised as a diocesan Marian shrine on 31 May 2022 (Independent Catholic News).
• The statue is a focus of May devotions each year (Catholicireland.net).
• The diocese’s cathedral is in Loughrea, not Clonfert (Independent Catholic News).

What’s unclear

• Exact artist or origin of the statue.
• When the statue was first called “Our Lady of Clonfert”.
• Number of annual visitors (no formal count exists).
• The truth of the woodcutter folklore (not officially verified by the diocese).

The catch: the shrine’s charm partly lies in its mystery—a medieval object with a half-legendary backstory and no modern tourism infrastructure.

“On 31 May 2022, the Shrine of Our Lady of Clonfert was formally recognised as a Diocesan Marian Shrine.”

Bishop Michael Duignan, as reported by Independent Catholic News

“Pilgrims, mainly from the midlands, come during the day to pray before the statue. Despite the absence of organised liturgies during the day, the numbers of pilgrims are quite large.”

Catholicireland.net

The story of Our Lady of Clonfert is a rare convergence: a medieval statue, a local legend, and a 2022 decree that elevated it from quiet village treasure to officially recognised diocesan shrine. For the parish of Eyrecourt, Clonfert and Meelick, the choice is clear: continue the May devotions that have sustained the cult for decades, or risk losing a devotion that diocese itself has now enshrined.

Frequently asked questions

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