30/05/2026
The fascinating, chaotic final resting place of a fascinating, chaotic character... Father Joseph Foy 1843 - 1918
One glance at the sombre, identical, neighbouring graves of Bishops and Priests in the Old Abbey of St Muredach’s, Ballina, begs the question; how did such a man, disgraced and defrocked by the church and sidelined as a misfit, end up with the most visited, most adorned and most cherished grave in the whole cemetery?
You'll often see a lone figure paying their respects to this great County Mayo character, at all hours of the morning, and in all kinds of weather too. For Father Foy was an everyman, fiercely intelligent and articulate yet deeply flawed, and people still look to him to seek relief, from physical ailments, alongside anxiety, depression, addiction and matters of emotional turmoil. Foy carried a heavy cross himself, in the form of addiction to alcohol, an occupational hazard for the local priest in those days.
Sent in the 1870s to the wilds of Erris, in part no doubt for his particular brand of perceived priestly "non-compliance", Father Foy settled in as Parish Priest of Kilcommon thanks to the famous Erris hospitality, including a dram or two of the local poitín, the strong grain liquor preferred around here. The incident that ended his public career reads like a scene from a novel. A cow in calf was the original reason given in his deposition for the gathering at his house that night. The Father, who had earlier taken to his bed ill, was roused by a lively fight downstairs, where songs were sung and a half gallon of whiskey had already been consumed....
Arguing over who would leave to fetch more liquor, the Father intervened, and was struck on the head by an iron tongs from the fire. The house was then besieged by an hour-long bombardment of stones, the housekeper was injured and windows and lights smashed, causing £15 in damages... a fortune in 1890.
The Church had had enough. The Father was permanently banned from saying Mass or hearing confession, but it was there that his true power lay...
In local folklore there was a long-held belief, that the latent supernatural power of a priests potential was only reached after he'd been silenced. For some, devotion to the disgraced Father Foy was seen as a quiet rebellion against the strict institutional instrument of the Church.
Father Foy, originally from Foxford, gained a reputation as a man who could alter destiny. Deeply feared for his devastating curses, which were said to travel through entire generations of family, but desperately sought after for his blessing, which ensured a favoured family would never want for aught, Foy was even known for walking on water, attempting to cross the inlet at Pullathomas on foot, believing that what Christ had done for St. Peter, he could do for Foy aswell!
Father Foy spent his last years in a rehabilitation centre in Dublin, ultimately passing away in 1918, and it was he himself that predicted the popularity of his final resting place, declaring that in death, "my grave would be my office".
True enough, the identical iron cross afforded to him by the church was not good enough for local devotees and was replaced by the black granite Celtic cross we see today.
Thus, a shrine was born, a monument to an intelligent, outspoken, complex individual, a dedicated man of the cloth, extremely understanding of matters of the human condition and a sufferer himself.
Legend has it, to avail of Father Foys blessing, one should visit the grave three times. On each of the first two visits, leave a small token behind. Items you'll find left routinely include ci******es, mini effigies, beads, trinkets or even a naggin of whiskey. On the third visit, take a pebble or piece of gravel from the grave home with you.
Father Foys grave is a fascinating site, right in the centre of Ballina, an interesting throwback to a time when the church was in charge, yet the people chose and worshipped their own heroes nonetheless. You may still see notices in the Westerm People newspaper, thanking Foy for favours and cures received.
No visit to Ballina is complete without a stop to chat to the man himself, and you'll find candles and lanterns lit to ensure the light in this influential man's office never goes out!
Want to hear more, or in need of a cure yourself? Why not , we can all learn a thing or two from the fate of the famous Father Foy 😉💭🪦
