Garda checkpoints were erected close to Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Mullahoran, Co Cavan, on Sunday as parish priest Fr PJ Hughes said Mass in defiance of the Covid-19 regulations. Ireland is the only country in Western Europe with a ban on public worship.

The 10am mass was delayed for about 20 minutes with many locals detained at the three Garda checkpoints erected on the roads into the church, which is in a rural part of the parish.

Twenty people turned up for the Palm Sunday liturgy and they were well spaced out in the church where every second pew was roped off.

Fr Hughes wore a mask while distributing Communion. Some of the congregation wore masks too.

The priest has already been fined €500 for allegedly hosting an illegal gathering, but he said he will not pay it. He faces the prospect of prison.

Later, he accused gardaí of harassing him and churchgoers.

Speaking to The Irish Times he said: “they intimidated me going in to Mass. They intimidated me, and they intimidated the people.

He explained: “I went down to a house of have a cup of tea with a family before Mass and on my way back up, they blocked the three roads leading into the church. They stopped at the top of each road.

“They had four cars; three squad cars and a big white van. There were eight gardaí in all and one car in the car park at the church”.