30.01.2014
New Rector Appointed to Athy Union
The appointment of a new Rector to the Athy Union of Parishes has been announced. The Revd Olive Donohoe (pictured) is to be the new Incumbent.
Originally from Dublin, Olive has followed an interesting route to Athy. Having completed a degree in what was then called Natural Science in TCD, she trained as a Certified Public Accountant and worked for three years in The Sunday Tribune. She moved to the Revenue Commissioners where she was an Inspector of Taxes.
Following the decision by the Church to ordain women, she spent three years in the Theological College and a year completing a Masters in Pastoral Leadership in All Hallows.
Olive was appointed Curate to Bandon Union of Parishes in 1995 and spent three years there. For 12 years she was Rector of Mountmellick Group of Parishes before spending four years part time in Stradbally Union of Parishes.
Olive has a great passion for social justice issues and has worked to develop parish links and responses in a local context with St Vincent de Paul and more widely with organisations for the homeless – Trust, The Mendicity Institute and the Capuchins in Church Street in Dublin.
Mountmellick and Stradbally Parishes along with Ballyadams and Wolfehill Roman Catholic Parishes now support and supply tea, coffee and razors, shaving gel and any items requested on a monthly basis.
In her spare time Olive is an avid photographer and makes and sells cards for charity. She also describes herself as a failed water colourist and is now training as a painter or writer of Icons.
Olive will be instituted as rector on April 11. She succeeds the Revd Cliff Jeffers who was appointed to the chaplaincy of DIT last year.