Popemobile has parishioners in a spin

Staff Reporter

Parishioners of Cooley Parish who have always wanted a spin in a popemobile are in for a treat later this month.

A popemobile used by Pope St John Paul II will be on display in the Co. Louth parish as part of their 150th anniversary celebrations for Our Lady, Star of the Sea church, Boher.

Parish Priest Fr Malachy Conlon said he hopes the popemobile will draw a large crowd.

“Now that Pope John Paul II is a saint, I am sure it will be a great attraction,” he told The Irish Catholic.

“We don’t want this just to be a display of a bare vehicle. We will have a prayer inside the popemobile and people can climb inside and have a prayerful experience,” he said.

The six-wheeled converted truck was built by British Leyland for the Pope’s visit to Britain in 1982 and was subsequently used by the Pontiff during his visits to Zimbabwe and Botswana in 1988 and Zambia in 1989.

The popemobile was purchased by John Hanlon, whose wife Kathleen has made it available to the parish.

The parish celebrations will take place from Friday, July 24 – Sunday, July 26.