Not applicable, due to COVID

Commentary positions on location not anticipated, due to COVID, so accreditation not required.

RTÉ,

Donnybrook,

Dublin 4,

Ireland

Contact: Commissioning Editor: Roger Childs +353 87 953 7542 / roger.childs@rte.ie

Producer: Finbarr Tracey +353 86 785 2182 / Finbarr@kairoscomms.ie

Please see attachments for information and "Fiche de Liaison" additional booking form for members of the Eurovision Religious Group.

Main Celebrant: Fr. Tom Gilroy PP; Music Director: Tally Flynn; Liturgical Music: Clonard Musical Ensemble

Clonard is a small hamlet approximately 50 kilometres west of Dublin and is noted for being one of the earliest Christian sites in Ireland. This year marks the 1500th anniversary of St Finian founding his monastery at Clonard, which became a place of training and study for young men pursuing a particular Celtic form of monasticism, which helped keep the flame of Christianity alive during the Dark Ages.

In Finian’s time, more than 3000 students are said to have lived and studied in Clonard, observing a rigorous culture of prayer, penance and study. Among the famous students to have emerged from there are Brendan the Navigator, Columcille of Iona, Molaise of Devenish, Ciaran of Clonmacnoise and many others who later established monasteries of their own across Western Europe.

It is anticipated that Mass on Christmas night will be limited to small numbers this year because of Covid-19 restrictions on travel and assembly. Clonard's response to these restrictions will be in keeping with the spirit of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem - simple, beautiful, intimate and joyful. The liturgy will feature traditional Irish Christmas carols. We hope to create an atmosphere of olden times through St. Finian's candle-lit country church.