To Russia and back — with religion

IF Fr Kevin Blade knew in advance that the three priests who were last to minister in Vladikavkaz in Russia were nailed to the Church door and left to die in the frost and snow, he might have reconsidered being the next priest to revive the Catholic Church there.
While Fr Kevin, who is now back in Galway as parish priest in Ballinfoyle on the Headford Road, had to be given an armed guard out of Vladikavkaz when he was leaving, he was luckier than the three priests who were nailed to the Church door there during the Russian revolution in 1917.
He was working as a missionary priest near Liverpool when the provincial of his order asked him to consider a move to Russia to minister in parishes there with two others, including Fr Michael Screene, a native of Menlough.
Fr Blade is the son of the late Paddy and Peggy Blade, Tubberjarlath Road, Tuam and he has a large extended family in the town and surrounding areas.