Papal’s Got A Brand New Bag

Ye faithful… 3AUG16

p and down the country today, September 4th 2016, schoolkids headed down to their local Catholic Church and got themselves a few gold stars on their copy.

For today, across Ireland, was the Blessing Of The Schoolbags. And the Holy Rosary in Greystones was pretty darn packed.

With proud parents, excited kids (with one or two exceptions, of course), and potentially possessed schoolbags.

You know how it is. You’re walking to school, the sun is shining, the birds are tweeting, and suddenly a great, big, dark voice whispers from your schoolbag, “Hey, kid, let’s skip school today, and go hide out down on the South Beach!”.

In truth, it’s wonderful to know that, as technology is changing daily life in Greystones by leaps and bounds – our young men and women jumping on those big metal birds to start new lives abroad, Telford Evans using a mobile phone, Rita Fitzpatrick heating up her Jameson in the microwave – some old traditions remain.

And as for any of our young folk thinking they can love two schoolbags at once, the blessing is a way of exorcising any such bisatchels.

Important to note too, this long-held church gathering is one of those old traditions that you feel is particularly Irish. Hard to imagine many – if any – other countries were out blessing their pencil cases today.

So, here’s hoping that, as a community, we’ll always have events such as today’s The Blessing Of The Animals and The International Spud Festival.

In truth, it’s what makes us special. In a good way.

You can check out more Holy Rosary shenanigans here, and its history right about here. Next blessing is at St Anthony’s in Kilcoole on Sunday, September 7th 2025 at 10am.