The wife of the late Anthony Foley has said the response to a campaign initiated by her 11-year-old son Tony following the death of the Munster legend has been an "unforgettable experience of solidarity".
Speaking after the concluding Mass in the #8masses4no8 campaign Sunday, Olive Foley said the engagement around the Facebook campaign "has reflected the kindness of people".
The final Mass in the campaign, which was initiated by Tony just the day after his father's burial, was celebrated at Knock Shrine yesterday by Knock Parish Priest Fr Richard Gibbons.
The mass saw crowds travel from the four provinces, swelling numbers in the basilica to twice the norm for this time of year, with an estimated congregation of just short of 2,500.
Olive, her sons Tony and Dan, Anthony’s father and mother Brendan and Sheila, and sister, Rosie all travelled from Killaloe and were joined by hundreds more from Co Clare.
Speaking afterwards, Olive said that the campaign generally and especially the final Mass in Knock was an experience that will carry them through the tough days ahead.
“We’ve had and will continue to have for a long, long time very difficult moments and days. But today was a good day for us and this campaign generally has been amazing,” she said.
“Tony came up with the idea and we all supported it on the grounds that it was so others could have their loved ones remembered alongside Anthony. We got such incredible support following what happened to Anthony that we just wanted others to come under that roof and feel the warmth.
“We offered today’s Mass for all those who died and whose family or friends wanted remembered by this campaign.”
At the start of the mass, the family placed a No 8 jersey in front of the altar. Olive and her sons Tony and Dan also brought the gifts at the offertory procession.
Through social media, the campaign was estimated to have reached over 2.5 million people.
In an emotional homily, Fr Gibbons said that while he never met or knew Anthony Foley, he was struck from what he has heard by his likeness in character to St Joseph - “a man who preferred to let his actions do the talking but when he did talk, people listened.
“He was, also like Joseph, a great family man.” Of the #8masses4no8 initiative, the priest said: “Many people have gone back to Mass for the first time in a long time as a result of this campaign and really appreciated and liked being back. It shows yet again that there is a great need for spirituality and the door is always open.”
