Pope Francis: Treasure all Travellers’ lives equally

Better integration and inclusion of Travellers is needed to help avoid future deaths in fires or other tragedies, Pope Francis yesterday told relatives of the families killed in the Carrickmines blaze.

Pope Francis greets the participants in the pilgrimage of Travellers and gypsies during yesterday’s audience in the Vatican

They were among an audience of an estimated 7,000 Irish and international gypsies, Travellers, and Roma as part of a pilgrimate to Rome. In the front row at the Pope Paul VI Hall in the Vatican were relatives of the Connors family, whose funerals took place last Friday — and those of the Lynch and Gilbert families — to hear a message from the Pontiff expressing his sadness at the deaths.

Dan Connors and his mother Biddy, and Bill Connors and his mother Mag, were blessed by the Pope after he spoke in Italian to the international gathering. Alison Nevin from Lissenhall in Swords, Co Dublin, was first to receive his blessing, according to Ronnie Fay from Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre.