I took this photograph on my way home from work today. On the left, are banners for the upcoming Dublin Pride event, an annual march by the LGBTQ community. On the right, flags can be seen flying for the Eucharistic Congress. It’s a remarkable sign of the times, and made me think just how much Ireland has changed since the Eucharistic Congress was hosted here in 1932.
Recently I’ve been doing a bit of research on the Congress in 1932, mainly looking at the anti-communism of Catholic newspapers and magazines at the time. The Irish Monthly, a Catholic magazine of the period, used the year of the Eucharistic Congress to inform readers that there was a coming confrontation between the two ideologies of Christianity and Communism in Ireland. The magazine frequently ran articles around the dangers of the foreign ideology of Communism, and in his article The Coming Conflict: Catholicism Vs. Communism, Capt. T.W.C Curd noted that:
The times are not without their significance for Ireland. In this year of Congress, the eyes of the world are upon her- a Catholic nation with a Catholic government and the social encyclicals of Leo and Pius open books before them.
I suppose, the times are not without their significance for Ireland once more. Just like in 1932, the streets are decorated with flags and bunting. Unfortunately for the organisers of the event though, it seems football is our religion now. Ole Ole Ole.
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 
Nice observation.
The Bunting 1932
http://dominusvobiscuit.blogspot.ie/2012/04/tantum-ergo-sum.html
The Context 1932
http://dominusvobiscuit.blogspot.ie/2012/06/those-were-days.html
If I may pick only have of your focus, I wonder if it helps young lgb people in Dublin that from early April to August there are banners for g, lg or lgbt events on the quays.
First up in April are the banners for the Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival, which is held on the May bank holiday weekend. They are replaced by the banners for Dublin LGBT Pride, which is held the in the week leading up to the last Saturday in June. And they in turn are replaced with the banners for GAZE, the Dublin Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, held on the August bank holiday weekend.
Also of interest this year: the Dublin Pride Parade will include some British bobbys, in uniform. The European Gay Police Association is holding its annual conference in Dublin on the Thursday and Friday, and most contingents will be marching in the parade in uniform the following day. (Wonder what Éirigí will make of that!)
and The Relic 1932
http://dominusvobiscuit.blogspot.ie/2012/05/first-class-relic-iec1932.html
They expected 20,000 at the RDS and got 10,000. At least the trend is going the right way.
There’s two sets of Eucharistic bunting and one papal flag on my road. Quite nefarious using the football as cover, but Id expect nothing less.
I’ve seen this Papal flag it’s not the usual one….. http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee327/Falconer1st/Baby%20Shoes/ThePopesArmy2crop.jpg?t=1339688205
Love the Pope’s Army. About right.
Here’s a much milder version:
http://dominusvobiscuit.blogspot.ie/2012/04/into-thine-arms.html
There is a protest on Sunday when the Eucharistic congress hits Croke Park if anyone is interested. If you can go try to bring as many children’s shoes as you can rustle up from your local charity shop or elsewhere.
Saw the Euc Con flags being replaced on Wood Quay this evening, by Pride flags, appropriateley enough.