Monsignor Joseph McGuinness has issued and apology to the Parish of Botha and their Parish Priest after he permitted a television crew to visit the Sacred Heart Church in Boho to film even though the Parish Priest had initially refused the request.

Monsignor McGuinness said he did not know Parish Priest Father Cathal Deery had been approached with the same request.

It seems that this failure in communication had created some discord in the Parish.

Numerous sources told this newspaper that Parish Priest Father Deery had told parishioners on Sunday that he had refused to give permission to television crews from the BBC and UTV to visit the churchyard, however this decision was overruled by Monsignor McGuinness.

It has also been revealed that Father Deery had told Mass goers that it had not been the first time he had been left “hung out to dry” by the Diocese in response to the decision by Monsignor McGuinness to permit the television crews access the the grounds at Sacred Heart.

Father Deery did not want to comment on anything related to Sacred Heart Church when contacted for a response by The Impartial Reporter.

However, Monsignor McGuinness did respond to a number of questions.

In a statement, he told this newspaper: “When I was approached by the BBC for permission to film at Boho, I was unaware that they had previously been in contact with Father Deery.

“I was therefore not aware of the response which he had given. In this particular instance I took the view that, under clearly specified conditions, permission could be given.

“It was only later that I found out that Father Cathal took a different view, which was also perfectly justifiable. Unfortunately there was a failure in communication, and I very much regret the annoyance and upset which this has caused, both to Father Cathal and clearly also to people in the parish.”

A television crew from the BBC were filming at the Church on Monday.

Since the since the discovery in the soil of a new strain of streptomyces, a micro-organism used to produce antibiotics, there has been a significant increase in visitors to Sacred Heart to collect some of the “miracle soil”.

Such has been the exposure locals are becoming worried that things may be “getting a bit out of hand”.

Locals have expressed concern about the number of people coming to the Church and taking soil from the grounds after the scientific discovery, while the researcher who carried out the research, Dr. Gerry Quinn, also stressed the importance of respecting the area following global reaction to the discovery in recent weeks.