St Mary's Choir Athenry to perform at St Mel's Cathedral

My name is Breda Devlin Whyte. I am a member of St Mary's Church Choir Athenry, Co Galway.
The Choir are looking forward to singing at the 11.30am mass in St Mel's Cathedral, Longford on Sunday, August 6, 2023.
I am honoured and privileged to be part of this morning mass. It is also very emotional for me personally as I feel I have come full circle back to my roots and my early childhood memories.
My father was Mel Gerard Devlin born in 1924 in Little Water Street, Longford town to Owen and Brigid Devlin (nee Reynolds) both born in 1880 and married in 1897. My grandfather was known as Gentle Owen and worked independently as painter, decorator and signwriter. Until recent times many buildings boasted murals and advertisements painted by him in the town itself.
My grandmother raised a very large family, the Devlin family still having a stronghold in Longford, and they have a large diaspora around the globe. My granny Devlin lived at 24 St Mel's Road.
Our visits to my grandmother always included the ritualistic pilgrimage to St Mel's Cathedral. To this day St Mel's holds a special place in my heart. It was a huge part of my dad's life, he was baptised, received his First Communion and was confirmed in St Mel's.
Anecdotally my dad shared the story of the painting of The Holy Family which is the one painting that did not burn when the Cathedral burned in recent years. He told us an Italian painter was commissioned to paint the picture of the holy family, however the work proved costly and the story goes that my grandfather was asked to complete it.

We don't have concrete evidence that this is what happened but I do like to think that my grandfather had some hand in this special painting.
Perhaps I'll follow this on foot of the invitation extended to St Mary's choir to sing at the beautifully restored St Mel's Cathedral.

My grandfather died on May 19, 1931 of a brain haemorrhage aged fifty one. My father was six at the time but he remembered him up until his own death in December 1999, aged seventy five. My grandmother died on May 28, 1966, at the age of eighty six. My first cousin Sean Devlin was the sacristan in St Mel's Cathedral for some years. My family enjoys close bonds with our Longford Devlin relations and I am proud to be one of the Devlin clan.

I and my fellow choir members will be looking forward to seeing you all in St Mel's Cathedral on August 6.