'Happy memories' of John Paul II arriving at airport

Pat Corr at Dublin Airport. Photo: Colin O’Riordan

Pope John Paul II kisses the ground on arrival at Dublin airport at the start of his Papal visit in September 1979. Picture: Tom Burke

thumbnail: Pat Corr at Dublin Airport. Photo: Colin O’Riordan
thumbnail: Pope John Paul II kisses the ground on arrival at Dublin airport at the start of his Papal visit in September 1979. Picture: Tom Burke
Fiona Dillon

The arrival of Pope Francis today has sparked special memories of a previous papal visit for the longest-serving staff member at Dublin Airport, Pat Corr.

He was one of the first people to witness John Paul II touching down on an Aer Lingus Boeing 747 in 1979.

"The atmosphere was great. I saw him coming off the jumbo when he arrived in, at Pier B. He came down and waved and kissed the ground. You could see everything clearly. The robe was blowing over him.

"People were clapping and roaring, you couldn't hear yourself. There was big excitement at the time. It's happy memories," said Mr Corr, who lives in Swords. "It was a big day in the airport. There were crowds to beat the band. It was packed, and there were cars parked everywhere around the place," he recalled.

Another Dubliner with clear memories of Saturday, September 29, 1979, was Irish Independent photographer Colin O'Riordan.

"I was 19 years of age and working as a photographic printer for the 'Irish Press'," he recalled. "In preparation for the papal visit of Pope John Paul II, I was tasked with setting up a darkroom for the processing of film and printing of photographs of the pope's arrival.

"These were transmitted by wire from there by our wireman. The area for processing and wiring of our images was in a car park overlooking the arrival proceedings and shared with the Irish Independent, Press Association, 'Irish Times' and others.

"But there was one main problem. The car park was up a spiral ramp above another car park which was to be used as a public viewpoint.

"To get to the tarmac our photographers had to go through several layers of security and using up valuable time that I couldn't afford as I was on deadlines."

Mr O'Riordan said he thought about what he could do to speed up retrieving the photographers' film.

"I then remembered my fishing rod," he said.

He said he got an empty baked beans can, cleaned it and put on a label with 'Irish Press Film' written on it.

"The following day, I had the most amazing view as the pope's plane taxied in with the papal flag flying from the pilot's window."

Pope John Paul II emerged waiving to the crowds, he said. "Now it was time to deploy the fishing rod. I lowered my can and line down and the photographers deposited their film.

"I got the film, processed, printed and in record time, we had it for the 'Evening Press'."