MollyÕs journey of faith in 1932 lives long in the memory

The International Eucharistic Congress is set to return to Ireland in June after a gap of 80 years and one Mervue woman recalls the impact that the Congress had when it first came to these shores.

Ireland hosted the 31st International Eucharistic Congress in June of 1932 and it generated an amazing atmosphere in the relatively-new Irish state. The occasion was celebrated throughout the country but the main events were held in Dublin, including an open air Mass in Phoenix Park which attracted an estimated one million people.

Molly Clancy, from Walter Macken Place, lived in Monivea back then and she was in her second year in the Presentation Convent Secondary School in Athenry when the Congress came in 1932. The 95-year-old vividly recalls her trip to Dublin for this historic occasion. “I can remember everything and it happened 80 years ago,” Molly told the Galway City Tribune.

“It was wonderful. I’ll never forget the Congress. There was a wonderful spirit and a lot of that was throughout the year.”

Preparations for the Congress was ongoing in the run-up to the event and the arrival of such an important church event to these shores was hugely anticipated in the thirties.

“It was very exciting. Our religion was very strong at the time. We prayed at home and we read spiritual books. Religion was discussed in the home. People were great Catholics. Religion was the number one thing in your life. It was all that mattered. We went to work to make a living but religion was the main thing.”

She travelled down to Dublin with a friend and stayed with her friend’s aunt in Dublin.

“We arrived in Dublin on the Wednesday. I was so excited about the Congress that I took little notice of all the buildings and certainly wasn’t thinking of visiting the shops. My friend’s aunt had tea ready for us as we were to go to Mass shortly afterwards in the nearby church. The Mass was in Latin. The choir sang the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Sanctus and the Agnus Dei in Latin. It was all so wonderful and uplifting.”

She recalls the statues, holy pictures, pictures, lights and bunting outside people’s houses as they travelled home after Mass. Midnight Masses were held throughout the city and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was then held in many chapels.

They travelled to the Phoenix Park on the Thursday for the open air Mass, with the large crowds ensuring that progress through the city was slow.

“It was trams we were going in back in those days. We left at 9 o’clock and arrived at Phoenix Park at about 12noon.”

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.