Wind and rain didn't deter pilgrims from annual trek to Holy Year Cross Mass near Clonmel

Caption: Lola and companions, Ray, Brian and Darragh Prendergast at the Holy Year Cross Mass. Pic John D. Kelly 

A shroud of mist hid the panoramic views of Clonmel from the Holy Year Cross overlooking the town on Monday morning. But the poor weather didn’t deter about 300 pilgrims from making the steep hike up to the landmark at the top of Scrouthea Hill for the annual August Bank Holiday Weekend Mass.

Those hardy souls making the tough trek from the Old Bridge to the hilltop overlooking Clonmel were at least blessed with mostly fine weather on the ascent.

At the Holy Year Cross conditions were blustery and misty and Mass celebrant Fr John Treacy, PP of Clonmel’s SS Peter & Paul’s Parish quipped it was “no day for a long sermon”.

After welcoming the raincoat and poncho dressed congregation gathered around the altar area, his first thoughts were with a local man who suffered a cardiac arrest on the hilltop while waiting for the Mass. He opened the ceremony by praying for his recovery.

The middle aged man received emergency first aid from a former Red Cross volunteer until National Ambulance Service paramedics, Tipperary Fire Service personnel, gardaí and South Eastern Mountain Rescue team members arrived at the scene.

He was transferred in a National Ambulance Service four-wheel drive vehicle to a waiting ambulance and taken to hospital.

Fr Treacy prayed to the “Good Lord” to take care of the ill man and thanked the emergency services for looking after him.

He also prayed for two Clonmel men who passed away since their attendance at last year’s Holy Year Cross Mass. They were Pat O’Connor from Prior Park and Michael Dempsey, a native of Glenagad at the foot of Scrouthea Hill, who lived in north London.

Mr Dempsey’s ashes were brought to the Mass by his nephew Cllr Richie Molloy and niece Catherine Duggan and some were scattered at the Holy Year Cross after the ceremony. Other relatives also attended the Mass.

Cllr Molloy told the congregation Michael Dempsey, came back to his native Clonmel every year particularly to attend the Holy Year Cross Mass and was at last year’s ceremony.

Michael, who was in his 80s when he died in April, remembered when the tradition of the Mass began.

“He was here as a youngster when the Cross was erected back in the 1950s,” Cllr Molloy recalled.

Attending the Mass for the first time was John O’Donnell from Tipperary Town, who hiked up to the Cross with a friend who does the pilgrimage every year.

“It was a fairly good walk and I liked doing it,” he said but acknowledged it was a tough hike all the same that he was able for thanks to the amount of walking he does.

Mayor of Clonmel Cllr Michael Murphy attended the Mass with other Clonmel Borough District councillors including Cllr Molloy.

He told The Nationalist it was a great privilege to come to the Holy Year Cross for the annual Mass, which he described as a “great tradition” in Clonmel.

"The weather hasn’t been ideal today but it’s still nice to see big numbers attending the Mass,” he said and paid tribute to the Holy Year Cross Committee for the huge effort they put into organising the ceremony.

Holy Year Cross Committee members had power hosed and given a new coat of paint to the altar area, wall surrounding the Holy Year Cross and plinths where the statues of Jesus and Mary are mounted ahead of the Mass.

Committee member Frank Fahey said they were unfortunate with the weather this year but he was pleased with the estimated turnout of 300 people at the Mass despite the conditions.

He paid tribute to John Walsh, a former Red Cross volunteer, for his prompt action in assisting the man who fell ill before the Mass and all the emergency services who tended to him and were involved in his safe evacuation off the hill to hospital.

Fellow Holy Year Cross Committee member Patsy Lambe said the Committee will be issuing an appeal for new volunteers to join them ahead of next year’s Mass.

“You don’t have to be from the Old Bridge area. Everyone is welcome,” he said.

As the crowd dispersed after the ceremony, the heavens opened their cargo of rain as they descended the hill but thankfully the deluge was only temporary and finer conditions awaited as they reached the Old Bridge.

Check out more of John D. Kelly's photos from the Holy Year Cross Mass in the two-pages of coverage of the events published in this week's edition of The Nationalist

Caption for picture below: Máire Éilís Kiely and Michael Kiely hiking to the Holy Year Cross Mass on Bank Holiday Monday morning.