COULD CLLR O’CONNELL AND POPE FRANCIS PROVIDE THE BOOST CASTLEISLAND NEEDS?
POLITICS, we’ve been told often enough, is the art of the possible. Then, Cllr. Bobby O’Connell’s county-wide, considered proposal could see Pope Francis landing at Farranfore and holding a mass rally in Castleisland, – Why not ?
Cllr. O’Connell struck the first blow in his bid to have the Holy Father invited to Kerry during his proposed visit to Ireland in 2018.
His ‘Notice of Motion’ was No 3. on the list for the December meeting of Kerry County Council which was held in the Community Centre in Milltown on Monday.
“That Kerry County Council put in place proposals to invite Pope Francis to Kerry when he visits Ireland in 2018.”
Imagine him there in all his glory coming out the gap at the airport behind in Farranfore and one of his people asking him “Is it right or left – your Holiness.”
Out of pure habit he’ll say “right” – of course and it will be the greatest day in Castleisland since Princess Grace passed through in the 1960s and Cllr. Bobby will be elected to any office he chooses for the rest of his days.
Look at what Queen Victoria did for Killarney in the 1860s; what the Kennedy visit did for New Ross in 1963 and at how the apparition in Knock brought life to that region since 1879.
While the philistines among us will be looking at the tourism aspect and the bulging tills – we must also consider the spiritual fall-out such a visit would / will bring.
While several parts of the country are looking west to match the genetics of members of President elect Trump’s cabinet to their localities, we should indeed look to the Vatican for our miracle.
Go on Bobby.