Galway: Laughter, applause, tears, prayer and jokes about "weak Protestant tea" marked Galway's farewell to Pope John Paul II yesterday, when the city's Catholic community found itself using a Church of Ireland premises for the first time in over 300 years.
Members of the Protestant community joined the Catholic Augustinian congregation in prayers for the Pope at St Nicholas's Collegiate Church. An estimated 800 people were welcomed at noon by Rev Patrick Towers of St Nicholas's, who had offered the Augustinian rector, Fr Dick Lyng, the use of the 14th century building while his own church is closed for renovation.Paying tribute to the Church of Ireland rector, Fr Lyng told yesterday's congregation he had never thought such a move would be possible. Others in his congregation who were "reared and formed outside the stiff embrace of clericalism" had not seen so many obstacles, and Rev Towers himself had recognised the "symbolic nature of hope". However, even the rector could not have foreseen the "full symbolic power of this morning throughout the world", he added.
It was both "extraordinary and providential" that the first Mass should take place in St Nicholas's on the morning after the Pope's passing, Fr Lyng continued. "Whatever your opinions, he has been an extraordinary character, the first in his field in so many areas." Lorna Siggins, Western Correspondent
Cork
There was sadness but there was a certain serene acceptance among the many faithful who gathered in the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne's in Cork city to hear the Bishop of Cork and Ross, Dr John Buckley, lead the congregation in prayer for the late Pope John Paul II.
Inside the Shandon Street cathedral, Dr Buckley began the Mass by paying tribute to the Holy Father for his immense selflessness and his love of others.
"Many tributes have been paid to him - people have spoken about his great work, his great solidarity with people, his concern for other people - all his work for other people, all his love for other people, was an overflow of his profound prayer in life," Dr Buckley said.
"Pope John Paul was a uniquely prayerful person, his eyes were always fixed on Jesus Christ - he was in love with Jesus Christ and he was in love with humanity - he was a very human Pope and to be very human is to be very holy.
"People were aware of his kindness and love and concern for people. And they responded to that and we saw that today in the huge attendance this morning and again last night. People realise the great man he was and the huge dedication to others that was total and unremitting. He showed greatly solidarity with people, something he especially did in South America. I was there when he visited Peru where we have a mission and he was so concerned about the poverty of the people and the appalling conditions he was living.
"He did not hesitate to criticise the political leaders in South America at the time. He spoke out clearly and unambiguously about the debts of these countries and the burden they had to carry in trying to repay those debts and I think the leaders of the world listened to him." Barry Roche, Southern Correspondent
Drogheda
What began as a trickle on Friday afternoon had by yesterday afternoon become a river of memories and tributes as hundreds of people laid flowers and said silent prayers for Pope John Paul II at the monument to his visit to Killineer, Drogheda, on September 29th, 1979.
Just as they had 25 years ago, they came from both sides of the Border to pay their last respects. For many it was also time to recollect seeing him in Ireland and hearing him plead in front of 300,000 people for the IRA to turn away from the paths of violence. His words were broadcast around the world and are cut into a stone plaque that forms part of the papal monument at what is now known locally as the Pope's Cross. Elaine Keogh
Killarney
The Irish and papal flags were fixed at half mast yesterday at St Mary's Cathedral in Killarney, and the diocese of Kerry opened a link on their website to allow people to e-mail their messages of sympathy directly to the Vatican.
Alongside the formalities, Mass-goers as well as celebrants spoke of their intensely personal memories of the late Pope.
At the 12.15pm mass at St Mary's, Fr John Kerin said the Pope had inspired him to become a priest during the 1979 papal visit to Galway. Anne Lucey
Midlands
In churches throughout the midlands, photographs of the Holy Father were displayed prominently in front of altars, and people knelt to say a silent prayer. Attendances at Masses were said to up on usual Sundays.
"People are coming out to express. A lot of people are leaving flowers at the door of the church or putting them in front of the picture of the Holy Father," said Fr Michael Kilmartin at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar. Liam Horan