First Holy Communion: The sorrowful mysteries of the fifth season

It costs a fortune, entails a tortuous process of dress selection, and invariably results in clothes that can never be used again. Yes, it’s that time of year again – First Holy Communion time

First Communion days are very special. Adults smile indulgently at children dressed in their communion attire Pic: iStock

How many seasons are there in a year? In most countries, it’s four. Here in Ireland, however, it’s most definitely five, as we are now in the midst of – as mammies and daddies across the nation can attest – the fifth one: communion season.

This is the time of year when the temperature rises sharply in many homes, as eight and nine-year-old girls and boys blossom and burst forth in their white ...