Drimnagh church packed as community pays tribute

THE PARISH church of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Mourne Road, Drimnagh, is one of the biggest in the Archdiocese of Dublin. Its cavernous interior was built at a time when Mass observance was universal and the church was the centre of the whole community.

Even with a capacity of more than 2,300, it was full to overflowing last night as local people, the Polish community and others attended a service of remembrance for Pawel Kalite (26) and Mariusz Szwajkos (27), the two men stabbed to death outside a chip shop in Benbulen Road, Drimnagh, 10 days ago.

Joining them was the President Mary McAleese; Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan, his brother Conor, Minister of State with responsibility for integration, representatives of the Polish embassy and Assistant Garda Commissioner Alan McHugh.

The Polish, Irish and Vatican flags flew at half-mast on a night borrowed from mid-winter. Despite the wind and rain, hundreds of people who could not get a seat filled the porch of the church.

The bilingual service began with a rendition of Nearer My Godby the parish choir which was followed by readings in English and Polish. The Gospel was read by Fr Jaroslaw Tomaszewski, of the Polish chaplaincy.

The parish priest of Mourne Road, Fr Martin Cosgrove, told the congregation the community had "run out of words" to express its "sense of revulsion and abhorrence" at what had happened the two men. It was "extraordinary" that, at a time when we were never as well off, that so many "young people are dying needlessly, violently".

Fr Cosgrove said he was naïve "in the extreme" to think there was any simple solution to the question of violence, but it was "high time for a national conversation about these issues - time for some joined-up thinking. I hope this terrible atrocity might be a catalyst for such a venture."

He also alluded to the circumstances behind the death of the two men, saying that so many people had died as a result of violence brought on by drugs and alcohol - a culture he described as a "culture of death". His words were met with applause. It was followed by a minute's silence, and then a collection for the families of the two men.

The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, renewed his appeal for a community summit to address the question of violence in Irish society. "I have no explicit plan. Perhaps such a summit would best be organised from the ground up.

"We cannot just leave that community involvement to moments of tragedy alone, when it is too late."

Fr Jaroslaw Maszkiewicz, the head of the Polish chaplaincy in Ireland, said his community was "stunned" by the death of the two men, "but we are not frightened because we know we are among friends in Ireland". The service concluded with a message from the family of Mariusz Szwajkos who also expressed thanks for the support of the people of Ireland.