Pioneers celebrate centenary in high spirits

In 46 years as a pioneer, Mary Lambert was tempted on just two occasions to drink alcohol. "When my mother was 80 I bought a bottle of champagne for the family to celebrate, and was really tempted to try it."

She didn't, nor did she the second time temptation arose, when she was in Israel. "We were guests of the Israelis and there was wine everywhere. I was going to drink some, but it was a Protestant friend of mine who stopped me."

Ms Lambert, from Ardfinan, Co Tipperary, was among an estimated 40,000 like-minded people celebrating the centenary year of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Assocation (PTAA) yesterday in Croke Park. The President, Mrs McAleese, and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, also attended the Mass and hour-long concert with performances by singers Ronan Tynan and Niamh Murray.

The celebrations began with a parade that took up two traffic lanes from Abbey Street, O'Connell Street and three sides of Parnell Square. Insp Noel Burke of Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station estimated that at least 20,000 people participated, taking an hour and 20 minutes to follow the route to Croke Park.

To accompaniment from some 24 bands, county by county they paraded, with all 32 represented. The rally was awash with banners and posters presenting a tour of Ireland's towns, villages and townlands: there were PTAA members from Aghabog in Co Monaghan, Fanad in Donegal - with the Fanad Accordian Band - Derrylin in Co Fermanagh, and Lissycasey, Co Clare.

The members are predominantly middle-aged and older, but there were several hundred people in their early teens who have taken the pledge until they are 18. One young man in his early 20s who didn't want to give his name said he'd taken the pledge at confirmation and would keep going "for as long as I can".

The organisation he joined was founded in Dublin 100 years ago by a Jesuit priest, Father James Cullen, and started with just four women members. It currently has about half a million members, with about 200,000 of them in Ireland.

Ms Nellie Maguire, from Co Waterford, was at the movement's diamond jubilee in 1959, when some 60,000 people attended.

"The youngsters are all drinking now and the sad thing is that the parents are in the pubs with the kids," she said. "On a sunny day they're all in the pub when they should be at the seaside."

The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Connell, was the chief celebrant at the Croke Park Mass and the homily was delivered by Cardinal Francil Arinze from Nigeria, the president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. He is tipped to become the first black Pope.

In his address, Cardinal Arinze pointed out that non-Christian religions appreciated temperance, including Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims. He said that Scriptures did not condemn the use of wine in itself but condemned its abuse.

"Pioneers are realistic," he said. "They know that wine is God's gift and that everything that God has made is good. But they also realise that wisdom and self-control are needed if alcohol is not to be abused. Self-denial is part of what it means to be a Christian. The sacrifice of a good thing for higher motives is commendable."

Pioneers were not negative. "They are not anti-drink, but they are anti-excessive or immoderate drinking." It was possible, Dr Arinze said, "to have a good time without touching a drop of alcohol. One can participate as a non-drinker without killing the joy of others."