Limerick-based Fr Pat Currivan won 16,000 Euros in Oola's lotto.

The priest says he will use the winnings to do much needed home improvements.

"It came just at the right time and that will pay for it. I got a phone call on the night of the draw and it was a very nice surprise," said Fr Currivan.

The amount in the local draw had been building since January, 2015.

The chairman of the lotto committee that supports Oola GAA club and the community centre, Johnny Ryan, congratulated Fr Currivan.

"He is a gentleman and we wish him the best of luck with his winnings," Mr Ryan said.

The chairman noted that local lottos like these are "vital" to communities.

"Our's is one of the longest running. It started in 1999 to pay off a big debt on the hall. We cleared that but then over time other debts arose."

Now the prize has gone down to 2000 Euros.

Mr Ryan said this is still a very nice sum to pocket for 2 Euros and four numbers.

Fr Currivan thanked Larry Ryan, who sold him the winning ticket.

"Larry calls the numbers at the bingo in Caherconlish. He sells them every week at our bingo so we have all been buying them for some time."

Sources

• Limerick Leader
• Image: Limerick Leader

The woman, from Limerick, has initiated proceedings against Bishop Casey, who is now 88, suffering from Alzheimer's disease and living in nursing home in County Clare.

A summons has been issued on both Bishop Casey, and the Bishop of Limerick, Dr Brendan Leahy, in his representative capacity as the current head of the diocese.

Bishop Casey was based in Limerick from 1955 to 1960, when he served at St John's Cathedral as a curate.

Records show that Bishop Leahy, on behalf of the diocese, has entered an appearance in the case but has not yet filed a defence.

In all, four plaintiffs have launched proceedings involving Limerick diocese.

In a separate instance, in 1992, the news broke that Bishop Casey, who was Bishop of Kerry, had fathered a child and that the child's mother was the bishop's third cousin, Annie Murphy.

Their affair started in 1973 and the child was born in 1974, but the bishop denied he was the father until 1992.

Bishop Casey was subsequently driven from office and was refused permission to say Mass.

He spent a long time in enforced exile in South America and later in Britain.

He later made belated efforts to patch up the relationship with his son, Peter Murphy.

In 2013, Peter Murphy broke his long silence over his father and his relationship with him.

Three years ago it was reported that Annie Murphy was living in California.

Sources

• Irish Times
• Irish Central
• Irish Central
• Image: BBC

Sr Eileen Lenihan's call came in Limerick at the first diocesan synod to be held in Ireland in 50 years.

Sr Lenihan said: "The apology that is being called for, perhaps it needs to come from the Church, radically from the Pope down really because the Pope in a way stands for the entire Church history."

There are one hundred proposals before the delegates at the Limerick synod.

Proposals ranged from gender equality and caring for the marginalised, to the increased use of social media by the Church and creating links to other faith groups.

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