THE US ambassador, Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith, yesterday handed over to the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Connell, Christmas presents for Irish prisoners donated by two Catholic parishes in Connecticut.
The presents were given by parishioners in Stamford for distribution to prisoners in Arbour Hill, Shanganagh Castle and Shelton Abbey, as well as to children in the Lusk detention centre. They included shirts, baseball caps, socks, sweets, pens and stationery.
The man responsible for yesterday's hand over of gifts at Dublin Airport was Father Fergal McDonagh, head prison chaplain, who ministers in Arbour Hill. During his summer holidays he does relief work in Stamford, and last summer sermons based on his prison experiences led to parishioners there saying they would like to help Irish prisoners.
"The American organisers of this project have in the past given similar Christmas gifts to victims of crime in the US," said Father McDonagh. "This year they wanted to reach out to prisoners. Some prisoners never receive a Christmas card, let alone a gift. For these parishes the message of Christmas is about a new way of being human, and about treating each other with dignity."