Cashel and Emly pilgrimage to Lourdes was in peril due to floods but sunshine reigned

THE ARCHDIOCESE of Cashel and Emly’s pilgrimage to Lourdes had their fill of floods in 2013.

Their hotels had to be evacuated due to the heavy rain five years ago. Just days before the 400 pilgrims from Tipperary and east Limerick were due to fly out on June 16 this year parts of the renowned shrine had been under five feet of swift flowing muddy flood waters. Fr Pat Coffey, spiritual director of youth, said that part of France had experienced continuous rainfall for several weeks. 

“There had been a real possibility that the pilgrimage might not have been able to take place. The memories of the devastating 2013 flooding were still vivid in the minds of pilgrimage directors Fr Jimmy Donnelly, Doon and Fr Joe Tynan, Kilteely-Dromkeen.   

“Thankfully though the authorities in Lourdes have invested heavily in flood defences and flood cleaning equipment and thanks to magnificent clean-up efforts the shrine was re-opened in its entirety just before we arrived. Not only that, but the sun shone brightly for the five days of the pilgrimage and we basked in the balmy heat,” said Fr Coffey.

Led by Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly, he was joined by priests, parishioners, brancardier, over 70 assisted pilgrims and a youth group of 71 teenagers drawn from schools in Limerick and Tipperary headed up by Eddie Golden. The archdiocese includes Limerick parishes of Cappamore, Doon, Pallasgreen, Kilteely-Dromkeen, Murroe-Boher, Oola, Ballybricken-Bohermore, Caherconlish, Ballylanders, Galbally, Hospital and Herbertstown, Kilbehenny and Anglesboro, Knocklong and Glenbrohane, Knockainey.

Archbishop O’Reilly said: “It is wonderful that the different parishes of our archdiocese are represented on our pilgrimage in Lourdes. It is a great gathering that brings together this group of believers from our part of Munster - Limerick and Tipperary.  We have an opportunity in Lourdes to take time away from our everyday lives and to live our faith and express it through care for each other.” That care was exemplified by the youth group.

“They received great praise form fellow and international pilgrims for the way they performed their helping tasks and how they involved themselves in the prayers and ceremonies,” said Fr Coffey. During a review the teens were asked what they most enjoyed.

Many of the replies are moving. They include: “Seeing how happy we can make the assisted pilgrims just by asking them ‘how they are?’ is so sweet and even emotional. You can really become attached which makes it very hard to leave this amazing trip.”   

Another response was: “The assisted pilgrims are so friendly, inspirational and good craic and they make you see life from a different perspective. You can chat and laugh to them about everything and you usually would not have the chance to do this.”