Watch: Thousands gather in Cork's North Cathedral for relics of Bernadette of Lourdes

“Ye’re hardly expecting trouble, are ye?” asked an older man of one of the smiling gardaí on duty outside Cork’s North Cathedral on Wednesday afternoon as the relics of St Bernadette of Lourdes were carried in the main door.

The Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne was full to capacity as the relics arrived, with about 1,900 people in attendance, and there were long lines outside the door as the faithful queued into the early evening.

At one point, the sound of a female voice singing Ave Maria could be heard across Shandon through the two speakers perched over the twin stone angels guarding the narthex.

The relics of St Bernadette are visiting Ireland on a two-month pilgrimage, visiting every diocese in the country.

St Bernadette witnessed 18 apparitions of Our Lady at Lourdes in 1858.

A shrine built at the site of the apparitions attracts millions of pilgrims every year, and hundreds of thousands have turned out to see the relics during their Irish visit.

“It’s just fantastic for the diocese that the relics are here, and nearly 2,000 people or so are here to show their respects,” said one of the many yellow-vested volunteers on stewarding duty. He declined to be named, claiming that his boss wouldn’t be happy that he wasn’t at work.

Gerard Buckley, who lives across the road from the cathedral, said it had been “a huge honour” to see the relics.

“Ah it was just gorgeous, it was lovely, it’s a unique blessing for us, especially for people who can’t travel maybe because of illness or they can’t afford it,” he said.

Helen O’Donoghue, from Ballincollig, was there with her granddaughter, Latoyah, from Bartlemy.

“I love the Church, I’m in the Westgate Choir outside, I’m very involved,” she said.

“It’s fantastic that the relics are here, anything at all that gets people into the Church.”

One woman, who gave her name as Rachel, said she had lived in Lourdes as a child but had never visited the shrine.

“So she came to me instead, so I said I’d better come and see her,” she said.

Marie and Dan Buckley from Lower Killeens were visiting “to say thanks”, they said.

“I have a great devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes, because we have a daughter who had a brain tumour when she was only four and she’s still alive,” Ms Buckley said.

“I remember I was in her bedroom and I prayed to Our Lady and I got this feeling over me, and I knew she was going to be okay.

“Siobhan is in Australia now and she has two little girls herself.”

Veneration of the relics will be between 6am and 12 noon on Thursday morning, with Mass at 10am.

The relics will then depart to the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Clonakilty, arriving at 2pm. Veneration will take place there from 2.30pm to 7.45pm, with concelebrated Mass led by Bishop Gavin at 8pm.