The family of Margaret Keane sought permission for an Irish language inscription to be included on a proposed churchyard memorial at St Giles Church, Exhall.
The Coventry Consistory Court - presided over by the diocesan Chancellor - granted permission on 6 May 2020, provided that the memorial also included an English translation.
The family appealed this judgment, and today the appeal was allowed by the Arches Court of Canterbury. At the end of the hearing, the Dean of Arches indicated that:
- Permission would be granted for a memorial containing the words “In ár gcroíthe go deo” without an English translation.
- The church records are to include the translation “in our hearts forever”.
The Dean of Arches said that the court will issue their reasons for allowing the appeal in due course.
The Bishop of Coventry, who has no jurisdiction over the consistory court, said:
“I am very glad that this case has now been resolved. Margaret Keane’s family have been in my prayers over these several months and I am very much looking forward to the chance to meet with members of the family in the near future."