In Ferns «the turnout far exceeded our expectations,» Bishop Brendan Comiskey was quoted as saying by the Irish Times. «We estimate that more than 75,000 took part in the event. If these numbers are repeated in other dioceses — and I can see no reason why they won´t be — we will have to revise our figures for the visit upwards from 1 million to close to twice that number.»
In a pastoral letter to mark the visit he said he had «no explanation to offer for it (the crowds) other than to suggest the great hunger for the spiritual in so many hearts.»
The relics arrived in the Dublin Archdiocese last Saturday and will be visiting Carmelite institutions there until May 16, when they go to Mullingar, the Irish Times said.
