A selection of items created by artists and writers to be presented to the pope during his visit to Ireland go on show.
Gifts to be presented to Pope John Paul II during his Irish visit were on display at the Abbey at the launch of a collection of contemporary Irish verse 'Celebration: A Salute to a Visiting Artist' edited by Jim Fitzgerald.
A vellum-bound special edition of the book is to be presented to the Pope during his visit. The book contains poems by eighteen writers including Seamus Heaney, Brendan Kennelly, John Montague, John Jordan, Evan Boland, Pearse Hutchinson, John Hewitt, Richard Murphy and Michael Longley.
Other gifts on display include a solid silver medallion made by students from Dun Laoghaire College of Art, a banner of Madonna and Child by artist Patrick Pye, and a sculpture in bronze of St Francis and the Birds by John Behan.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 21 September 1979. The reporter is Conor Fennell.
Pope John Paul II visited Ireland from 29 September to 1 October 1979.
