29/09/1979
it was cold dark and very early in the morning, 2005 tickets were sold to the parish and this is ticket number 2002 (752 child). We got the old diesel train from Bayside toAshtown. Ashtown was a deserted and closed down station until 4 weeks before the big day, its platforms were extended to accommodate the extra large trains, the four week upgrade of previously closed Ashtown was done without shutting the Sligo line, nowadays such upgrades involve 9 month shutdowns at weekends. We saw the pope, when going home we walked from the Phoenix Park to Connolly (which we must have routed through on the way there) a fare old walk for a 10 year old. 1 in 3 Irish people attended the Park that day for open air mass and blessings. We sang “He’s got the whole world in his hands” as we didn’t know Olé, Olé Olé Olé.
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