A crowded St. Mary’s church was a kaleidoscope of colour on the evening of 6 May 1934 for the annual May Queen procession in honour of Our Lady.
The blue, red and white dresses, as the columns of participants moved around the church, blended perfectly with the beautiful floral decorations. The Lady Altar, central to the crowning of the statue of Our Lady, was picturesquely dressed with lilies, roses and carnations provided by parishioners, whilst the High Altar was equally stunning, specially decorated for the occasion.
The procession assembled in the school, winding its way the 50 yards through the streets leading to the church.
It was headed by the Cross Bearer and acolytes, followed by the Banner of St. Agnes, carried by Miss Nellie Walsh, and streamered by Misses Agnes Kilgallon, Mary Gallagher, Winnie Hopkins and Mary K. Elsworth. The members of the Guild of St. Agnes wore the red ribbon and medal of their Sodality (Sodality being the term for a group/association), and had white veils secured by red wreaths.
They were followed by last year’s May Queen, termed the ex-Queen, Winnie Colleran. Click 👉🏽 here 👈🏽 for details of the 1933 event. She was in a gown of white satin with Elizabethan collar and ornamented with embroidery. Fixed to her shoulders with clasps was a long train of white satin lined with blue, and her crown of white satin, with diamanté ornaments, was covered with an embroidered veil. She carried a large bouquet. Her white attired attendants were Misses Joan Colleran, Maureen Sharpe, Mary Rayner, Kathleen Monaghan, Margaret Maguire, Mary Harkin, Betty Rowe, Winnie Ramsbottom, Kitty Collins and Margery Gallagher.
Then came cushion-bearer Master Laurence Carroll, in a suit of white satin. On top of his blue cushion, trimmed with silver lace, was the white wreath with which the statue of Our Lady would be crowned.
The banner of Our Lady, carried by Margaret Lynch, was streamered by Misses Rebecca Buckley, Catherine Phillips, Annie Crossley and Mary L. Moore.
The Children of Mary wore white, with blue cloaks and hoods, a blue ribbon carrying their Sodality badge, with white wreaths on their heads.
22 white-dresses children from the infants’ school walked in the procession carrying white lilies, which were later strewn around the foot of the statue of Our Lady. The statue was carried by Misses Phyllis Doyle, Doris Healey, May Phillips and Ellen Murphy.
May Queen, 12-year-old Josephine Lynch, was the central figure in the pageant. She was the youngest daughter of textile worker James Lynch and his wife Catherine (formerly Grant). She wore a long gown of white brocaded satin cut on Elizabethan lines, with a stiffened scroll collar. A girdle of pearls circled her waist, and her veil was secured with a crown of diamanté and pearls. Her pleated-edged train, an impressive three and a half yards long, was of white, blue-lined, and embroidered with the inscription “Ave Maria.”
Eight little boys, dressed in white satin suits, carried out the responsible task of train bearers. They were Masters Brian Doyle, Charlie Shields, John Senior, James Kelly, Frankie Gallagher, John Frain, Joseph Hopkinson and Leonard Ashwell.
Whilst a hymn was sung, the procession passed round the church, and upon reaching the Lady Altar it halted for the pinnacle moment of the ceremony. This was when last year’s May Queen Winnie Colleran handed the crown of white flowers to the current May Queen Josephine Lynch, which she placed on the head of the statue of Our Lady.
Father Peter McBride conducted the Rosary, whilst Father Michael Magner preached the sermon.
If anyone has any photographs I could include of the ceremony and participants please do let me know.
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