The location where Ireland’s baby boom began

The Papal Cross is a simple white cross made of steel and stands 116 feet high. It was erected for the papal visit of Pope John Paul II on the 29th of September 1979. On this day, The Pope delivered an open-air sermon to the largest gathering in Ireland’s history with an estimated 1.25 million people. It was probably the first time that many of the attendees stayed away from their parent’s homes and many had to camp. David McWilliams – Ireland’s leading economist, reported that Ireland’s baby boom occurred on the third weekend of June of 1980 exactly 9 months to the day after the Pope kissed the tarmac. He coined the term for this group ‘The Pope’s Children’