‘It was like nothing I’d ever seen in Limerick – thousands and thousands of people with different accents….MARIE HOBBINS meets Dublin Road lady who attended Eucharistic Congress in 1932
ON Monday evening last, a Limerick lady who has lived all her married life on the Dublin Road, accompanied the Diocesan Administrator, Fr Tony Mullins to St John’s Cathedral, where they officially welcomed to Limerick city the National Eucharistic Congress Bell. The bell, which has been on a pilgrimage from diocese to diocese since last St Patrick’s Day, as part of the build-up to next year’s Eucharistic Congress, arrived in the city from the neighbouring diocese of Cashel and Emly.
There to welcome it, Dolly O’Brien of the Dublin Road, accompanied by members of her family, renewed her acquaintance with the bell, which she first saw when as a 12-year-old, she was brought to Dublin by her “big brother” to witness one of the biggest ecclesiastical events that Ireland has ever hosted.
That was in 1932, when intense religious fervour was at its height in Ireland
People from every city, town, village in the country made their way by train, car, bike or horse and cart to Dublin to take part in the open air ceremonies which were attended by high-ranking clergy from the Vatican and bishops, priests and religious orders.
‘I remember being woken up very early – it was still dark and even though I was jaded because I’d been too excited to sleep the night before, I was up in a jiffy,” she told the Limerick Post.
“I have a vivid memory of being told by my mother not to let go of my brother, Pa-Joe’s hand, and I can also recall walking up to the station to get the train – the streets were packed with people all making their way to get the train”.
Dolly said she has no memory of what exactly she was wearing, except that it was a “nice dress and coat.
“I do remember though, that we had a picnic with us and we had to find a place to sit down and eat it when we got to Dublin – there were thousands of people all doing the same thing.
“It was like nothing I’d ever seen in Limerick – thousands and thousands of people with different accents.
“There were processions and everyone was singing hymns and there were thousands of priests and nuns and a lovely scent of incense”.
Dolly’s big moment came when her brother, Pa-Joe lifted her up to kiss the Congress Bell as it was passing through the streets of Dublin and on Monday night, the mother of 10 children, grandmother and great-grandmother, whose husband, Tom O’Brien died in the 1960s, had the honour of again ringing the Bell on its first visit to the Diocese of Limerick.
Fr Alphonsus Cullinan, Diocesan Delegate for the International Eucharistic Congress, which takes place next June in Dublin, said it was an ideal opportunity for the people of Limerick to begin preparations for, and understanding of what the Eucharistic Congress means.
‘“The Bell is a key symbol for the Eucharistic Congress. It begins preparations and raises awareness for the Congress, which will be the biggest celebration of our faith on this island since Pope John Paul II visited here in 1979.
“The Congress will attract thousands from abroad and tens of thousands of Irish people so everyone in the Catholic Faith needs to understand the unique experience that’s ahead of us. The Eucharistic Congress Bell’s arrival here will help spread that message and understanding.
“As such, its stay here is an invitation to the Eucharistic Congress and we would urge as many people as possible to visit it as it is taken around the diocese”.
After St. John’s, the Bell went north of the river on Tuesday to St. Munchin’s Holy Rosary, Cratloe/Parteen Pastoral Area where it was also presented at the Grotto in Cratloe, built to mark the Eucharistic Congress in Ireland in 1932.
On Wednesday, November 16, it crosses into the Kerry Diocese.
