Kathleen Moran recalls the Eucharistic Congress held in Dublin in 1932

In a recent edition of News- Four, the editor suggested that if there were readers old enough to have been present at the 31st International Eucharistic Congress held in Dublin in 1932, they might like to share their memories of that momentous event with other readers.

I immediately thought of Kathleen Moran (pictured right) who lives in Stella Gardens. I knew Kathleen was 87 years old and discovered that she was indeed present at the Congress. Kathleen was only 12 years old when the Congress was held and her memories are those of a child albeit enhanced by maturity. Her mind was crystal clear on the points she remembered and she was very sure about the details. She spoke with such clarity and certainty that you would think that the Congress took place only last week and not 75 years ago.

Kathleen went to the Congress with her school. A child had to be ten years of age to be allowed to attend and some of the older children were given charge of the younger ones. Kathleen was given the task of taking care of Muriel Gillen who lived in the umbrella house in Bath Avenue. The first task of the children was to form a guard of honour along the route from Dun Laoire to Dublin city centre (pictured below) to welcome the Papal Legate to the Congress, Cardinal Lorenzo Lauri.

Cardinal Lauri arrived on Monday 20 June and 36,000 children lined both sides of the route for nine miles as he travelled to the city. Kathleen was situated at the top of Serpentine Avenue with her charge Muriel. All the girls were dressed in white and the boys were all decked out in their First Communion or Confirmation suits. Everyone waved a papal flag or congress flag. Kathleen told me that it was that day that made the most vivid impression on her. She said that Cardinal Lauri was the only dignitary she has any memory of. I was really impressed that Kathleen remembered Cardinal Lauri's name.

Kathleen's family lived in Grand Canal Street at that time and she attended St Brigid's Primary School, Haddington Road. She recalled going for a walk with her parents to view all the decorations put up by local residents. There were altars, bunting, papal flags and congress flags everywhere.

The major event of the week for the children was a special Mass for them in Phoenix Park on Saturday 25 June. This was a sung Latin Mass and the children selected to attend had been preparing for it for some time. Kathleen said that she thought the selection to attend the Mass was based on the child's ability to sing. Preference was given to the best singers which was reasonable I suppose. The children had to learn the creed in Latin and Kathleen said she never forgot it. She told me how proud she felt years later when she went to Lourdes for the first time and was able to sing the Creed in Latin in Rosary Square .

There were 100,000 children at the Mass in Phoenix Park and Kathleen was quite a long way from the altar. Kathleen's memory was a bit hazy on how her group got to Phoenix Park but she remembered very clearly travelling home from the city centre on what she called the 'bogey tram'.

Kathleen told me she remembered everything she learned in school about music and singing, all the words and melodies. Her teacher was Sister Ildephonsus, who Kathleen says was a lovely singer herself. John McCormack sang Panis Angelicus at the concluding Mass and Kathleen knew how famous he was as they had McCormack records in the house which were played regularly.

Kathleen Moran has a mind and memory of remarkable clarity. She recited the words of a song her Uncle Tommy learned in the Star of the Sea school many years ago. The song was called 'The Birds' which she recited from beginning to end perfectly. Maybe that's a good note to end on.