Photo was taken at the Blasket Centre, Dún Chaoin, Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, Trá Lí, Co. Chiarraí.

Elaine O’Regan and Emer O’Reilly from Col√°iste Choilm, Ballincollig, were bursting with energy at the Blasket Centre

Thought on Friday – June – 28/06/2013

‘I believe that the measure of my soul is my capacity to love imperfect people.’ ~Joseph Grenny

There are many tourist spots that are busy during these summer months and Rome is probably top of the list. Many of the tourists who visit Rome will of course visit the Vatican. St.Peter’s Basilica is one of the busiest spots which holds The Pieta by Michelangelo and is one of the world’s most famous sculptures. It is of Mary holding the body of Jesus at the foot of the cross and is so lifelike that one can almost feel the heartbreak of a mother holding her lifeless son. Back in 1972 a man with a hammer jumped the railing and smashed the statue fifteen times with a hammer. It broke into over fifty big pieces and countless more tiny pieces. Sympathy, advice and money poured into the Vatican from all over the world. Many doubted it could be repaired but for the next year a team worked on putting it all back piece by piece. A year later it was unveiled and looked as it was except for a scar that they left on the veil of Mary. This was to remind people of what happened and that nothing in this world is perfect, even the Pieta. Today it is protected by a bullet proof acrylic glass panel but the scar and what it stands for can still be seen.