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Carfin Lourdes Grotto

In the 1920's, after visiting Lourdes with the annual Scottish pilgrimage, the then parish priest Fr. Thomas N. Taylor,set the local unemployed coal miners to work in building a shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus.
Other workers were able to assist during the National strike of 1921. The Grotto opened on 1st October 1922. Interestingly, it was Canon Taylor who translated and gave Saint Thérèse's Story of A Soul to the English speaking world. He was later elevated to Monsignor.
The Shrine has now become Scotland's National Shrine for Catholics. It is conveniently located between Glasgow and Edinburgh and today welcomes thousands of visitors from all around the world, who come to pray in the peace and tranquillity that the Shrine offers.


Painting of Monsignor Taylor


This picture of Mary hung above Monsignor's bed in Carfin Chapel House



Monsignor Taylor in the grotto
with the Papal Nuncio and local priests


The Irish Shrine
dedication on shrine


The Memorial to those who suffered, died or emigrated to Scotland in the Great Famine in Ireland


On the thirtieth anniversary of the exodus from their homeland the Ukrainians in Scotland dedicated this memorial to the Suffering Church of Christ in Ukraine.


The monument dedicated to
the Polish dead of World War 2




This chapel from The Garden Festival in Glasgow
now stands on the site of the lake.


My brother Tommy Reilly taking part in a First Communion tableau.
Mgr. Taylor the the priest on the left


The statue of St John Bosco taken recently.
The same steps that first communion photograph was taken.

The Grotto was always a great place to have photographs taken on important occasions


My mother and father's wedding
photographed in Carfin Grotto


Clare with Mammy and Daddy
at a cousin's wedding



My sister Clare Reilly after her first communion

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