31st Eucharistic Congress 1932 Dublin

1
31st Eucharistic Congress 1932Dublin

• Promoting Cultural Identity in the Irish Free
  State

2
Rationale for Staging Congress

• Irish Free State founded in December 1921
• Vast majority of Population was Catholic
  (Protestant/ Unionist fears)
• Irish Free State established diplomatic relations
  with the Vatican in 1929
• Pope Pius XI agreed to Ireland staging the
  Eucharistic Congress in 1932 (to commemorate the
  anniversary of St. Patrick arriving in Ireland in
  432 AD) Eucharistic Congress held every 3 years
  around the world
• Opportunity for Ireland to promote both its
  Catholic culture allegiance and its ability to
  stage world events, underlining its right to be
  independent

3
Securing Organising the Eucharistic Congress
W.T. CosgravePresident of Executive Council
Eoin ODuffy Garda Commissioner
4
Build-up to Congress 1931 - 1932

• Eoin ODuffy was given the job of organising the
  Eucharistic Congress
• ODuffy spent a year organising housing
  accommodation for all the visitors and
  participants in the Eucharistic Congress
• Every parish and diocese organised fundraising
  for travel to Dublin and bunting, flags banners
  to be displayed at the Congress
• Prayer meetings were held throughout the country,
  bringing a sense of occasion celebration to the
  practise of the Catholic faith

5
General Election 1932

• To prevent the Eucharistic Congress clashing with
  a scheduled General Election in late1932,
  Cosgrave brought the election forward to
  February.
• Cosgrave lost the election, so now Eamon deValera
  Fianna Fáil would take over government and reap
  the benefit of its association success

6
Preparations for 20th June 1932

• Eucharistic Congress was scheduled to begin 20th
  June, 1932.
• In the months previous, large-scale decorations
  and improvements were made throughout Dublin city
  centre.
• Bunting was erected throughout the city and
  altars built. Painting facades became commonplace
  throughout the city

7
Papal Legate arrives in Dublin20th June 1932
Cardinal Lorenzo Lauri, the Papal Legate, arrives
in Dun Laoghaire on board The Cambria to preside
over the 31st Eucharistic Congress.
8
Symbolism of Church-State Relationship

• Air Corps welcome for Papal Legate (in the shape
  of a cross) underlined the States commitment to
  a Catholic identity
• The large military presence and display,
  including the Hussars, specially dressed for the
  Legates arrival, also underlined the States
  total commitment to a Catholic Identity
• The subservient nature of both Bishops and
  politicians served to underline the spiritual
  authority and to a lesser degree, the political
  influence of the Church over the State.

9
Diaspora Returns Catholics arrive in Dublin

• Many of these Irish-Americans came both as an
  expression of their faith and an opportunity to
  celebrate the independence of their homeland.

• Catholics from around the Europe the world came
  to Dublin to attend the 31st Eucharistic
  CongressMany Irish-Americans attended. Many of
  these Irish-Americans had parents grandparents
  who emigrated during and after the Great Famines
  of the 1840s

Opportunity to strengthen Irish-American ties,
culturally and economically
10
Congress Week

• Special day of celebrations for men, women
  children
• Phoenix Park was the centre for each days
  celebrations
• 300 Bishops Archbishops attended
• Special altar built in Phoenix Park
• Altar also built on OConnell Bridge
• Cardinal Lauri celebrated mass in the
  Pro-Cathedral

11
Phoenix Park Celebrations (22nd 26th June)
Pius XIs broadcast message from Vatican to
Phoenix Park
12
Blackrock College Garden Party

• Garden Party attended by 10,000 people

13
Final Mass Sunday, 26th June 1932

• Almost 25 of the Irish Free States population
  attended the final mass on Sunday in the Phoenix
  Park
• After the mass, four processions left the Park
  and travelled to OConnell Bridge for the final
  blessing and closing of the Eucharistic Congress
  by Cardinal Lauri. Approximately 500,000 people
  attended.

14
Reflections on Eucharistic Week

• I confess I was myself enough of an outsider to
  feel flash through my mind, as the illimitable
  multitude began to melt away towards the gates
  and roads and bridges, the instantaneous thought
  "This is Democracy and everyone is saying there
  is no such thing.
• G.K. Chesterton
• Here men and women are proud to give evidence of
  their Faith proud of being sons and daughters of
  the dead and gone Catholics who kept the flame
  alive in evil days of persecution and
  spoliation.
• Dundalk Democrat

15
Why was the Eucharistic Congress Important to the
Irish Free State?

• It showed the new Irish State could organise and
  stage major world events
• It helped to heal the divisions of the Civil War
  and unite people of different political
  allegiances after ten years of bitter political
  in-fighting (Cumann na nGaedhael v. Fianna Fáil)
• It underlined the Catholic identity of the Irish
  Free State, as a definitive contrast to the
  British Anglican (Protestant) identity
• It also helped DeValera to assert a close
  relationship with the Catholic Church, in
  particular with Bishop John Charles McQuaid, who
  would have a strong influence on the character of
  the 1937 Bunreacht na hEireann
• Those who had been excommunicated during and
  after the Civil War were welcomed back into the
  religious community of the Catholic Church

16
Impact of CongressChurch State

• The State

• The Church

• Successful and hugely popular event cemented the
  States legitimacy international profile
• Politicians, like DeValera, achieved great
  political and social capital by association with
  the Congress
• The State would come to rely heavily on the
  Church for many of its own central social duties
  education health would be dominated by the
  Catholic Church for decades to come

• The Catholic Church in Ireland was the biggest
  winner. The hegemony of Catholicism was now
  absolute in the Irish Free State, politically
  socially
• Bishop John Charles McQuaid achieved enormous
  political capital in relation to his own career.
  He would later be made an Archbishop on
  DeValeras recommendation

17
Wider Impacts of Eucharistic Congress

• A Catholic State for a Catholic People
• Solidified partition culturally, religiously
  politically
• Heightened Protestant fears and marginalisation
  within Irish Free State and subsequent Republic
• Modern Ireland Loudspeakers, logistics of
  large-scale modern travel. Also, Pope Pius XIs
  message of goodwill on radio brought Ireland onto
  the world stage and cemented the Irish self-image
  of modernity independence

18
1932 1979 The Catholic State of Ireland
Between 1932 and 1979, when Pope John Paul II
came on an official state visit to the Republic
of Ireland, Catholicism enjoyed an almost
unopposed position in Irish society. Its
influence on Irish political affairs was
considerable also.
19
Exam Questions

• To what extent did the 1932 Eucharistic Congress
  and/or the language and education policies of
  Irish Governments promote Irish cultural
  identity?
• 2010 LC Exam
• What attempts were made to promote cultural
  identity, North South, during the period 1912
  1945?
• 2009 LC Exam
• What was the significance of the Eucharistic
  Congress 1932 for the Irish Free State?
• 2008 LC Exam
• How was cultural identity promoted in Ireland,
  North South, between 1920 1949?
• 2007 LC Exam

20
Essay Plan
21
Essay Plan

• Introduction Creating an Irish State Cultural
  Identity (Background Context)
• Paragraph 1 Setting Significance of 31st
  Eucharistic Congress (Diaspora
  international nature of Congress )
• Paragraph 2 Planning Symbolism
• Paragraph 3 Modern Ireland as portrayed by
  Eucharistic Congress
• Paragraph 4 Church-State Relationship
• Paragraph 5 Impacts on Irish Free State (Social
  Political)
• Conclusion Legacies impacts of 31st
  Eucharistic Congress on Irish Free
  State

22
IntroductionCreating an Irish Cultural Identity

• Irish Free State dominion of British
  Commonwealth/ unstable damaged socially by
  Civil War/
• Eucharistic Congress granted by Pope Pius XI
  after Irish Free State established diplomatic
  relations in 1929/
• W.T. Cosgraves decision to bring the election
  forward to avoid the Congress would be a turning
  point in DeValeras relationship with
  Conservative elements in Ireland, especially the
  Church.
• Opportunity for young Irish State to show its
  independence, politically culturally define
  its cultural identity
• Thereby, strengthening Irish ambitions for
  greater autonomy (Ironically, the Congress would
  also strengthen partition at a cultural level)

23
Paragraph 1 Setting Significance

• Eucharistic Congress held every three years the
  Catholic Olympic Games i.e. a world event,
  attended by a vast international mix
• Irish Diaspora Returns to Ireland particularly
  the Irish-American contingent, would associate
  the success and socially-upward Irish-Americans
  with young Irish Free State (many of whose
  grandparents had left during famine social
  disintegration of many parts of Ireland
• International Catholicism G.K. Chesterton, an
  English Catholic writer, was one of thousands of
  foreigners who attended the 1932 Eucharistic
  Congress. Presence of British, French, American,
  German Italian Catholics greatly projected the
  ambition unity of the young Irish Free State as
  a modern state

24
Paragraph 2 Planning Symbolism

• Arrival of Papal Legate, Cardinal Lorenzo Lauri,
  on June 20th 1932, marked the beginning of the
  31st International Eucharistic Congress.
• Irish Air Corps performed a fly-by in the
  formation of a Christian Cross. Signifies the
  complete State commitment to Catholicism and
  Papal Legates presence.
• Irish Hussar Cavalry, specially commissioned for
  the occasion, served as a guard of honour for the
  Legate.
• DeValera Cosgrave, representing both major
  parties in Irish Free State, walked together in
  procession during the Congress. (symbolising the
  healing/ unifying nature of the Eucharistic
  Congress)

25
Paragraph 3 Modern Ireland

• Planning Logistics 1 million people arrived
  in Dublin, approximately 25 of the Irish Free
  State population. Trains and buses carried most
  of the travelling attendees.
• Eoin ODuffy spent a year planning the logistics
  of accommodation, procession and organisation of
  all the attendants at the Phoenix Park.
  Large-scale bunting, decorations were prominent
  throughout the city.
• Loudspeakers Radio The use of loudspeakers was
  a novelty at this time, and essential to the
  crowd of 1 million at the Congress in Phoenix
  Park. Pope Pius XIs radio broadcast from the
  Vatican to the Congress in Dublin underlined the
  promise reality of modernisation progress in
  Ireland.
• Ocean Liners berthed in Dublin harbour acted as
  floating hotels

26
P. 4 Church-State Relationship

• For a year before the Congress, every parish
  diocese in Irish Free State was busily preparing
  for the event. Prayer meetings, discussions
  fund-raising created a sense of celebration of
  Catholicism throughout the country.
• Bishop John Charles McQuaid ensured before the
  Congress began that both Cosgrave DeValera
  would act in a dignified manner, deliberately
  putting politics second to the cultural event
  about to take place.
• DeValera many of the Fianna Fáil members, some
  of whom had been excommunicated during the Irish
  Civil War of 1922 23, were welcomed back into
  the fold of the Catholic community in Ireland.
  Indeed, this would be the beginning of the
  considerable influence of both McQuaid
  Catholicism over DeValeras social political
  policies to come.
• State was now portrayed as a totally Catholic
  State, and Church influence on education health
  would be considerable over the next five decades

27
P. 5 Political Social Impacts on Irish Free
State

• Church-State relationship firmly established
  1937 Bunreacht na hEireann would recognise the
  special position that the Catholic Church
  enjoyed. Significance of this cannot be
  over-stated Irish State would entrust a very
  large section of its duties (health education)
  to the Church to oversee and run
• Inadvertently strengthened partition and
  polarised the cultural differences between North
  South
• DeValera Fianna Fáil associated with the
  success of the Eucharistic Congress

28
ConclusionLegacy Impacts (1932 1979)

• Irish Free States need for a distinct, unifying
  cultural identity to a) promote legitimise
  Irish independence and b) to heal and unify
  political divisions following bitterness of Irish
  Civil War
• 1932 would mark the beginning of a decade of
  international turmoil during which DeValera the
  Irish Free State would exercise a very prominent
  voice in international affairs at the League of
  Nations. 1932 Eucharistic Congress served as a
  vital international advertisement of the Irish
  Free State its political social values
• Church would exercise a near 50-year hegemony
  (domination) over political social matters.
  Contraception Divorce remained illegal up until
  the late 1980s 1990s. Also, the Church would
  dominate Irish Education. The influence of the
  Church on Bunreacht na hEireann (1937) was
  considerable.
• Partition was strengthened by the overt nature
  of the States commitment to the Eucharistic
  Congress and served to marginalise Protestants
  within the Irish Free State.
• Papal visit in 1979 by Pope John Paul II marked
  the beginning of a social decline after a period
  of extremely intimate church-state relationship
  (1932 1979)