Pope ‘street party’ in Limerick city hopes to keep All-Ireland buzz going

ORGANISERS of next week’s Pope “street party” are hoping the buzz surrounding the All-Ireland final will continue to roll on. 

To mark the launch of Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland, the Limerick Diocesan office will kick off the outdoor festivities next Tuesday at St John’s Square, starting at 3.30pm. 

The special event will be launched by Olive Foley, the wife of the late Anthony Foley, and founder of the Children’s Grief Centre, Sr Helen Culhane. 

St John’s Square will be pedestrianised for the event, which will have food-stalls, face-painting, music and magic shows.

The street feast will be followed by an evening prayer service at St Johns Cathedral, led by Bishop Brendan Leahy and Church of Ireland Bishop of Killaloe, Kenneth Kearon. 

Limerick Diocesan World Meeting of Families delegate, Emer Williams said it is going to be a time “we are never going to forget in Limerick”. 

“Tens of thousands will head there this weekend for the All-Ireland Final and I can only imagine what the atmosphere is going to be like next week here.  Win or lose, there’ll be a carnival atmosphere in Limerick.

“We’ll keep that going on Tuesday with our Street Party.  There’s a fantastic fun afternoon planned for John’s Square.  It’s all geared towards the family and all, of course, free.  Then we move across the St. John’s Cathedral where there will still be a celebratory tone, a spiritual celebration.

“Then we head back to Dublin for events at the RDS, Croke Park and the Phoenix Park.  It’s going to be such a special, special time and I have no doubt that we will all be, and the Church will be, very much enriched at the end of it all,” she said. 

Limerick Diocese is one of only a handful of dioceses across the country that will have a stand at the RDS international exhibition as it showcases its pastoral activity. 

Bishop Leahy will chair a session, entitled Handing on the Faith in the Home Today on Wednesday. 

Caherdavin native Noirin Lynch will chair a panel on Wendnesday also, on Christian families from troubled parts of the world. 

Larry de Cléir from the Bedford Row Family Project will be on a panel discussing on the Impact of Conflict on Families and Children, as will Christine Hoctor, chaplain in Limerick Prison. 

Dr Jesse Rodgers, one of the moderators of the Limerick Diocesan Synod and from the Faculty of Theology in Maynooth, is a participant in a number of workshops. Olive Foley will speak on a panel, which will also include rugby legend Ronan O’Gara, on Celebrating Family and Sport.