More than 200 people of all ages and cultures gathered in Clonmel to pray at Rosary rally

More than 200 people gathered at Clonmel’s Kickham Barracks Plaza on a sunny Saturday afternoon to recite 15 decades of the Rosary in seven different languages to mark the 106th anniversary of the first Marian apparition at Fatima.

Our Lady was credited by the organisers for the beautiful weather for the communal prayer service that was among more than 500 multicultural public square Rosary rallies hosted across Ireland on May 13.

They were coordinated and sponsored by the Ireland Needs Fatima campaign, run by the Irish Society for Christian Civilisation.

Jimmy Ryan, one of a group of six local lay people who organised the Clonmel rally, was delighted with the turnout, which included people from a wide range of nationalities as well as many locals.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath and a number of local priests were among the congregation at the one and a half-long prayer rally.

Jimmy said the Rosary was recited in different languages including English, Irish, Spanish, Polish, Hindi, Malayalam and Latin.
Fifteen different people, from children to senior citizens, led each of the decades of the Rosary prayed at the event.

The Irish language version was recited by some young people from the Holy Family Mission at Glencomeragh near Kilsheelan, who are from the Donegal Gaeltacht.

Representatives of the local Polish, Spanish, Indian and Malayalam communities recited the prayers in their own languages.

“There was a fantastic energy at the rally,” said Jimmy Ryan.

“The response to it was really, really positive.

“So many people came up to us afterwards and said it was such a happy and joyful experience.

“Some elderly people even said it was the best religious experience they ever had,” said Jimmy, who acted as the rally’s Master of Ceremonies.

He described the Kickham Barracks Plaza as a “star” venue for the event and they were also delighted with the weather.

“Our Lady delivered a fantastic day for us. It was almost too good in that we were concerned people would go to the beach instead”.

The organisers got the word out about the rally through information fliers and notices in the local media, and they say their advance publicity worked a treat.

Jimmy said members of the Servant Sisters of the Home of Our Mother community in Cahir recorded a video of the Rosary rally, which is available on the Waterford and Lismore Diocesan website.