In the last issue we reproduced a photograph of the late Dan Redmond in his confraternity habit. My colleagues and some readers were disappointed that I gave no further explanation other than the rather mysterious-looking photograph.

In response to this I decided to investigate further and Tom Sheridan led me to Luke Heaney, who graduated from being an altar boy at 8 to joining the confraternity at the age of 13 until he was 32, when he moved away to Tallaght. His father was a member before him.

Apparently it is a well known fact in Ringsend that anyone who was in the Confraternity goes to heaven the Saturday after they die. Luke tells me he is taking his scapula with him and hopes he goes on a Friday so he won’t be hanging about.

The correct title for the confraternity is St Patrick’s Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception. The beautiful habits were made by a lady in Stella Gardens and the members had to pay for them. Other members of the group were Harry Ince, Dan and Henry Warren, Mr Nannery, Jack Lee and of course Dan Redmond.

Every first Sunday at 8 am they would attend mass in their robes. The members sang an office every month in the Church and whenever someone died in the district they would go to their house and sing if requested.

If one of the Confraternity died the members would all attend the funeral in their regalia. Luke recalls a protestant friend who attended one of these ceremonies saying that Luke looked like an admiral!

The members would join up with other confraternities to sing and also walk in parades. It was no easy job but they did have an outing on a bus each year and also rowed in the Regatta. Luke says they always beat the other confraternity teams as the Ringsend men were good rowers.