The varied material culture of the Congress is highly significant, including a number of large temporary structures erected for it—elaborate shrines created mainly in tenement areas of the city, and many souvenir objects. The event saw the use of cutting-edge technology, such as spectacular lighting effects, skywriting, and the largest personal-address (PA) system in the world. The scale of the International Congresses and the design of the crowd, have often been likened to European fascist spectacles of the 1930s, such as the Nuremburg rallies. A large amount of archival material exists relating to the organisation of the 1932 Congress. This is very revealing in that it shows the efforts of both the Church and State to present Ireland as being at the centre of a spiritual empire, presented as a morally superior counterweight to the British Empire. Many objects relating to the Congress also survive, including souvenirs, the original architects’ plans, radio recordings, documentary photographs, newsreels and a documentary film. A high power station was established in Athlone in 1932 to coincide with the staging of the Eucharistic Congress. 2RN, 6CK and Athlone became known as “Radio Athlone” or “Raidio Áth Luain”. Radio Athlone became known as “Radio Éireann” in 1938. Radio Éireann and Telefís Éireann were both renamed Radio Telefís Éireann (RTE) in 1966. 2RN covered the World Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932 using the new high-powered 60kw transmitter (later increased to 100 kw) installed at Athlone. Irish listeners heard the voice of John McCormack singing at High Mass. The event was also relayed by the BBC and several national stations in continental Europe. This was the largest event broadcast in the early years of Irish radio. By this time over 30,000 licences had been issued in the Irish Free State. Political historians have studied the relationship between the Irish political class and the authorities of the Catholic Church in Rome. Certain strands in 20th century Irish political history have argued that successive Irish governments have loyally followed the wishes of the Catholic Church across a variety of matters, up to and including the content of legislation in parliament. Many commentators have argued that 1930’s Ireland was less a republican democracy than a clerically dominated theocracy. Examination of the relationship between Church and State in independent Ireland has come naturally to focus on the Eucharistic Congress, given the
The varied material culture of the Congress is highly significant, including a number of large temporary structures erected for it—elaborate shrines created mainly in tenement areas of the city, and many souvenir objects. The event saw the use of cutting-edge technology, such as spectacular lighting effects, skywriting, and the largest personal-address (PA) system in the world. The scale of the International Congresses and the design of the crowd, have often been likened to European fascist spectacles of the 1930s, such as the Nuremburg rallies. A large amount of archival material exists relating to the organisation of the 1932 Congress. This is very revealing in that it shows the efforts of both the Church and State to present Ireland as being at the centre of a spiritual empire, presented as a morally superior counterweight to the British Empire. Many objects relating to the Congress also survive, including souvenirs, the original architects’ plans, radio recordings, documentary photographs, newsreels and a documentary film. A high power station was established in Athlone in 1932 to coincide with the staging of the Eucharistic Congress. 2RN, 6CK and Athlone became known as “Radio Athlone” or “Raidio Áth Luain”. Radio Athlone became known as “Radio Éireann” in 1938. Radio Éireann and Telefís Éireann were both renamed Radio Telefís Éireann (RTE) in 1966. 2RN covered the World Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932 using the new high-powered 60kw transmitter (later increased to 100 kw) installed at Athlone. Irish listeners heard the voice of John McCormack singing at High Mass. The event was also relayed by the BBC and several national stations in continental Europe. This was the largest event broadcast in the early years of Irish radio. By this time over 30,000 licences had been issued in the Irish Free State. Political historians have studied the relationship between the Irish political class and the authorities of the Catholic Church in Rome. Certain strands in 20th century Irish political history have argued that successive Irish governments have loyally followed the wishes of the Catholic Church across a variety of matters, up to and including the content of legislation in parliament. Many commentators have argued that 1930’s Ireland was less a republican democracy than a clerically dominated theocracy. Examination of the relationship between Church and State in independent Ireland has come naturally to focus on the Eucharistic Congress, given the
eucharistic_congress_main_events_notes.docx