Stolen shrine to be returned to parish after security upgrade

After two years and €50,000, parishioners in rural Co Offaly finally have a date for the return of their patron saint’s shrine.

St Manchan’s Shrine, a 12th century reliquary built to house the bones of St Manchan, was stolen from a glass security case at St Manchan’s Church in Boher, Co Offaly on June 1, 2012.

Though gardaí from Tullamore were quick to recover the shrine, the parish has had to raise funds for a costly security revamp in order to have it reinstated.