Claim of Muslim prayer mats at Tullamore church "completely untrue" says parish

Tullamore parish has described an online claim that Muslim prayer mats were left draped over railings at the Church of the Assumption in the town as "completely untrue".

The issue erupted on social media this week when an image was shared which purported to show Muslim prayer mats atop railings at the perimeter of the church.

When contacted by the Offaly Independent, Tullamore parish issued a statement which said: "We can confirm that the story circulating on social media regarding rugs being placed on church railings is completely untrue and has no basis in fact.

"We would ask people not to rely on or share this misinformation."

A post on a Muslim Community Tullamore Facebook page thanked Tullamore parish for its statement on the matter.

"Thank you to everyone who reached out with their concerns. I appreciate the parish clarifying the situation," the post stated.

"I kindly ask everyone to avoid sharing unverified information and to check the facts before drawing conclusions or passing on rumours.

"Let's continue to treat one another with respect and work together to maintain good relationships within our community," the post said.