Bishop Paul Radio interview on Jamestown 375th Anniversary of Synod of Bishops & Diocesan Clustering

In a Shannonside Radio interview – (August 13th 2025) Bishop Paul Connell says a lot of the existing priests are ageing.

A number of parishes in a Shannonside diocese will be clustered next year due to the retirement of long-serving priests.

This relates to the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois, which includes Athlone, Ballymahon, Carrick-on-Shannon and Longford.

There has been a lack of vocations over the past decade.

Bishop Paul Connell says a lot of the existing priests are ageing and some parishes in the diocese have already been clustered.