Two Cork sisters claim that the Virgin Mary appeared to them for a second time at a Wexford shrine.
Cork sisters Sally-Ann and Judy Considine say they witnessed another apparition of the Virgin Mary at a shrine in Grantstown, Wellington Bridge in County Wexford.
Denouncement of apparitions by Bishop Brendan Comiskey of Ferns and Bishop Michael Murphy of Cork and Ross saw a diminished crowd turn up at the shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel at Grantstown Priory, Wellington Bridge in Wexford.
It was here at this shrine built by Augustinian priest Father Martin Butler, that two Cork sisters Sally-Ann and Judy Considine claimed the Blessed Virgin Mary would make another appearance.
Sally-Ann and Judy are members of a Cork based rosary group and say they have been seeing apparitions of Our Lady since 4 July 1987. Members of the rosary group handed out the text of supposed messages the girls say they have received at apparitions at Inchigeelagh and Mayfield in Cork, and on two previous occasions at Grantstown beside the Augustinian Church.
Watched by hundreds of people, the girls threw back their heads, moved in unison and seemed to go into ecstasy, smiling frequently. Later they spoke of their experience which they wrote down and read to the crowd saying that Our Lady would be returning to Grantstown for a fourth time on 18 September.
An organiser of the event told onlookers that the sight of the evening sun coming out from behind a cloud was a sign of confirmation of the apparitions at Grantstown. The speaker also told the crowd they could see the sun dancing in the sky.
Sally-Ann Considine denies they are being used by their religious group.
We definitely see Our Lady, we believe the messages are coming from Our Lady and that they are being given to Our Lady from Our Lord.
Judy Considine says people can choose whether they want to believe in the apparitions or not.
I believe she is appearing to us, no I don’t think I could be imagining it no, because the goodness that we feel when we see her, no, you couldn’t imagine that.
The sisters are aware of the condemnation from the bishops and understand they have a duty to protect the faith. However, they say if the church tells them to stop the apparitions, they will obey.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 5 September 1988. The reporter is Michael Ryan.
