When Ringsend Was Centre of the World 1961

 

In 1961, Ringsend found itself at the heart of Catholic pageantry when the Papal Legate of Pope John 23rd, Cardinal Gregorio Pietro Agagianian arrived in the capital as part of the Patrician Year celebrations.  The Pope despatched the Armenian born cleric to Ireland, arriving at Dublin airport to be greeted by the Taoiseach Sean Lemass and the Archbishop of Dublin John Charles McQuaid. 

The celebrations were to coincide with the 1,500^th anniversary of the death of St. Patricks and as the church in Ringsend was the only Catholic church at the time dedicated to the national saint in the city, it was appropriate that this major event take place here. His itinerary outside Dublin included a visit to the Medical Missionaries of Mary in Drogheda, and to Cork, where he suggested that Irish emigration has been a providential method of spreading the Catholic Faith through the English-speaking world. The Cardinal received an honorary degree from President Eamon de Valera in his capacity as Chancellor of the National University of Ireland, then came a visit to the library of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty and celebrate mass in Croke Park but it was his visit to Ringsend that garnered much of the headlines.

He arrived at a suitably decorated Ringsend Park, in front of thousands of people, where a military guard of honour, drawn from the Irish naval service was inspected by the Cardinal. The was to bless the foundation stone for Our Lady’s Memorial to be built on the South Wall as a beacon for mariners entering and exiting the port. Thousands of pounds had been raised by the dockers and fishermen of the locality to pay for the 60ft memorial which would be illuminated at night as a beacon of hope and safety. 

But despite the best efforts of the local Raytown people and it’s newsworthy start, the planned site was withdrawn as the ESB decided to expand their Poolbeg facility, and a new search began. After numerous proposals and failed to materialise plans eventually ‘Realt na Mara’ designed by Wicklow man Cecil King and standing 60ft tall was erected in 1972 but not on the southside of the River Liffey but at Dollymount where it still stands today. It was unveiled on September 24th, 1972, by Archbishop McQuaid. 

                                    

                                                 

                                  

   

If you want to see some coverage of the visit to Ringsend watch this. 

https://ifiarchiveplayer.ie/hail-glorious-saint-patrick/