Harry Warren remembers a special day in Dublin

 

I remember August 25th, 2018, like it was yesterday. A warm sunlit afternoon in Dublin, and High Street in the Liberties buzzed with excitement. Crowds lined the street from early on, families, grandparents, teenagers, toddlers, all drawn by something greater than themselves. Some wore their best clothes, others sported scarves in papal yellow and white, children clutched their little flags with pride. I was among them, camera at the ready, hoping to preserve a snapshot of a day that already felt bigger than words.

We were waiting for Pope Francis to pass by in his Popemobile. It had been almost forty years since a Pope last visited Ireland; for many of us, it felt like a once in a lifetime moment. The World Meeting of Families had brought him to Ireland, and there was a strong sense that this visit meant something deeply personal, not just for the devout, but for the country as a whole.

He was spending the day in Dublin, visiting St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral and attending the Festival of The World Meeting of Families in Croke Park, where thousands had gathered to welcome him. Despite the tight schedule, the Pope had insisted on greeting people along the streets, even if only for a short while. And so, there we stood on High Street, patient, expectant, and quietly excited.
Then, without fuss, he came into view.

The Popemobile was open, and there he was, Pope Francis in simple white robes, standing and waving gently to the crowd. There was no grand theatrics, just his smile, soft and steady, and a sense of calm that seemed to settle over everyone.

People clapped and cheered. Some whispered prayers. Others waved back, eyes shining. A woman near me held up a homemade sign that said ‘Welcome Home, Holy Father’. He saw it, smiled, and nodded in her direction.

I managed to lift my camera and snap a few pictures. One in particular came out just right, Francis in mid wave, his eyes kind, making a direct connection with a crowd glowing with joy. That photo has pride of place at home today.

What struck me most wasn’t just the presence of a world figure, but the atmosphere he created. Despite the formality of his title, there was something very real and gentle about him. He moved through the crowd not like a dignitary, but like a grandfather among family.

What many may not know is that Pope Francis had been to Ireland once before, back in 1980, long before the world knew his name. As Fr. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he studied English at the Jesuit centre in Milltown Park in Dublin.

Continue reading in this week’s issue of Ireland’s Own