Papal Mass at Phoenix Park had strong Kerry in put

THE musical offerings throughout the Papal Mass in the Phoenix Park on Sunday had a strong Kerry flavour to them, and the Diocese’s musical representative for the occasion, Tomás Kenny, had time to reflect this week on an experience unlike any other.

The 130 members from the Kerry Diocese, who joined fellow choral participants drawn from Dioceses around the country, were drawn from as far north as Listowel and its surrounds to as far south as Castletownbere. Preparations began after Christmas, and after five rehearsals between spring and last Sunday’s performance, Kerry was ready for the occasion.

“Most of the Kerry choral singers made there way up on Sunday morning, most of them via three bus-loads which travelled up on the day,” Mr Kenny said. “Before Sunday, to celebrate the start of the World Meeting of Families, the Kerry members of the collective sang in St Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney.

“On the day, we were up at the very front of the Phoenix Park and all we could see was this ocean of people. The crowd was very dense towards the front, and to us it felt like we were at the Papal Mass in the Phoenix Park in 1979.

“Portmagee’s Dr John O’Keeffe acted as a conductor for the choir on the day, and the choir collective also performed a piece by Fr Pat Ahern in response to the Prayers of the Faithful, so there was a strong Kerry flavour to the whole thing.”

Mr Kenny also paid tribute to the hard work of Ailish Walsh and organist Declan Walsh in the preparations for the big day.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Pope Francis arriving in the Pope Mobile at the World Meeting of Families closing Mass by Pope Francis in the Phoenix Park, Dublin on Sunday

From top: Paddy and Teresa O’Sullivan, Killarney; Ann and Elenor Looney Tournafulla; Anne Fleming Killarney and Eileen Enright Tralee; James, Sean, Marie and Margaret Barry, Farranfore.

Sheila and Deirdre O’Connor travelling to the World Meeting of Families.