Kildare twin brothers celebrate 70th anniversary of entering priesthood
Frs Joe and Matt Kelly greeting Joni Keenan, Shay Keenan and Lucia Rocca (closest to camera) after the special mass on Sunday in the Church of the Resurrection in Bayside in Dublin. Photo: John Mc Elroy
TWO Kildare brothers Joe and Matt Kelly marked the Platinum Jubilee of their 1956 ordination to the diocesan priesthood on Sunday (17 May).
To honour their 70 years of service, a special Mass was concelebrated at the Church of the Resurrection in Bayside, Dublin, and was led by Archbishop Dermot Farrell, Archbishop of Dublin, and Bishop Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin.
Father Joe has served in the Archdiocese of Dublin throughout his long ministry, while Father Matt served in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.
They were born on March 31 1931 in Coolcarrigan near Blackwood, and attended primary school in Timahoe where their mother was a teacher.
Their father had a grocery shop in the area and the boys along with their two brothers and two sisters, would have spent time there growing up. For secondary school, they both attended St Mary’s, Knockbeg College in Co Carlow.
When the decision came to enter the seminary, the Bishop at that time Thomas Keogh decided to send Joe to Dublin to Clonliffe College and Matt to Maynooth.
After three years, Joe joined Matt in Maynooth up to ordination time. Fr Joe was ordained for the Archdiocese of Dublin in May 1956 and Fr Matt was ordained for Kildare and Leighlin Diocese in June 1956.
