Mass Times Emo: St. Paul’s Church, Emo, Co. Laois
Saturday Vigil:- 7.30pm
Sunday:- 11.00a.m.
First Friday: 9.30am
Holy Days: 7.30pm
Confessions: Before First Friday Mass
Date of Church: 1862
Architect: J.S. Butler
Style: Gothic Revival
Building Pastor: Fr. Terence O’Connell
Emo; Ioma, Contention, Conflict
Disputes about land are of common occurence in all counties where the population is moderately dense, and where the majority engages in agricultural pursuits. The land itself often retains a name indicating the fued. Coolbanagher Castle was a dependence of Dunamase. In the 1500′s, the area came into the possession of Robert Hartpole, after the Irish clans had been expelled from the Queen’s County. the site for St. Paul’s was donated by Lord Portarlington, and the church was built during the pastorate of Fr. Terence O’Connell P.P., mainly by the exertions of the resident curate, Fr. William Hooney. On the death of Fr. O’Connell in 1875, the P.P. of the new parish of Emo was Fr. John Phelan. the bell tower was added during his pastorate. At the entrance of the church is a statue of St. Paul, patron saint of the church. Stained glass windows of great beauty adorn the building. The church was refurbished in 1963 by Fr. P.A. Maher P.P., when it was re-roofed and the inside walls studded. The Earl of Portarlington erected a monument in the church to his wife Aline, Countess of Portarlington. it is the work of the sculptor Boehm, reputed to be one of his finest works, and is a recumbent effigy in Carrara marble. Countess Aline, who resided at Emo Park was a convert to Catholicism from 1867 and died in 1874. Her grave is positioned near the Passionist Mission Cross.
