Foundation stones for Galway’s first purpose-built mosque have been laid by international and national leaders of the Amhadiyya muslim community.
The Masjid Maryum (Mary Mosque) will be open to “all worshippers of all faiths” when it is built in Ballybrit, the Irish Ahmadiyya muslim chapter said tonight.
Ahmadiyya muslim world leader His holiness Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad laid the first of a number of stones at the Galway site this evening with his wife, Begum Sahiba.
Several hours before, the caliph delivered a sermon which was broadcast worldwide from Galway to his international community.
Ahmadi muslims, who have been victims of persecution in Pakistan, have been living in Galway for three decades, and the community’s fourth caliph or leader visited the western capital during the religion’s centenary year in 1989.
"This is why we are building our first Irish mosque here, as Galway has a particular significance for us," Imran Ahmed Sheikh told The Irish Times.
“Until now, we have been using a community centre in Wellpark for our worship.”
Several hundred members of the Ahmadi community attended this evening’s foundation stone laying, which was followed by prayers, readings from the Koran and a civic reception.
Bishop of Galway Dr Martin Drennan, senior Gardai and politicians were among those invited to a subsequent civic reception in the Clayton Hotel.
Muslims are now the third largest faith grouping in the Republic, mainly Sunnis, and there are about 3,000 muslims in Galway. Ahmadi worshippers are in the minority, but share good relations with fellow muslims, Imran Ahmed Sheikh said.