Sion Mills bids farewell to beloved ‘Fr Thomas’

SION MILLS bade a fond farewell to their much loved priest, Fr Thomas Canning at the weekend with a night of fun, music and laughter.

It was recently announced that Fr Canning would be departing St Theresa’s for pastures new. However, Sion residents just couldn’t let the moment go unmarked and so organised a night of bittersweet celebration for their departing cleric.

Fr Canning was escorted into St Theresa’s Hall on Saturday night flanked by two pipers where a crowd of local people, including Fr Canning’s family and representatives from the Church of Ireland and Presbyterian faiths, came together to pay tribute.

Sion community worker Andy Patton described the evening as ‘wonderful’, saying, “It was a wonderful turn out to say farewell to, what we believe, has been St Theresa’s best priest in Fr Thomas Canning. A Derry man, he was someone who embraced everyone no matter their creed or nationality and worked brilliantly with all church ministers in the village. Local parishioners and well-wishers were joined by sacristan at St Theresa’s, Stella McGinley as well as Melmount’s parish priest Fr Michael Doherty and Fr Thomas’s replacement Fr Malachy Gallagher.

“Thanks should also go to pipers Claire Hennessey and Seán Mac Cathmhaoil as well as Rebecca McDonald for her Irish dancing. I’m indebted to everyone who pulled out all the stops to make the evening what it was.”

Fr Canning was presented with gifts to remind him of his tenure in Sion, including a 55” television for which he was “extremely grateful and overwhelmed.”

Mr Patton also took the time to thank the local business who donated food and money to the event.

He added, “Fr Canning will be sorely missed by everyone in the village and we wish him well in his new parish.”