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Dublin: 9 °C Sunday 19 May, 2013

PHOTOS: How 1,400 nuns broke a world record in a Kerry town

Technically it was people dressed up in habits. But that still counts.

Image: (Photo: Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)

MORE THAN 1,400  people took to the streets of a Kerry town this weekend dressed as nuns, smashing a Guinness world record in the process.

The habit-wearing crowds descended on Listowel on Saturday for Nunday, which was organised by local woman Cora O’Brien to raise money for Pieta House, the suicide and self-harm centre.

The crowd smashed the previous record which stood at just 250  for the largest ever gathering of people dressed as nuns.

“We’d initially expected a couple of hundred people to take part but the whole thing just took off over the past week and we actually ran out of nuns habits a few days ago,” said Cora.

Organisers provided full outfits – including a black habit, a white coif, and a black veil – to all participants, while anyone who signed up too late had to bring their own.

The official count took place at 6 o’clock last night which was followed by a nun-tastic parade through the town.

“The excitement in the town was immense and everyone really got into the spirit of things,” said Cora O’Brien.

Cora organised the event after she lost her son David to suicide in 2007. All money went to Pieta House, which has seen a huge increase in people seeking support from its services over the past two years.

PHOTOS: How 1,400 nuns broke a world record in a Kerry town
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  • Nunday Record

    (Photo: Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)
  • Nunday Record

    Ronan O'Rourke and Ger Quinlivan from Abbeyfeale in Co Limerick (Photo: Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)
  • Nunday Record

    Liam Brennan, Noel Carmody and Willie Guiney from Listowel (Photo: Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)
  • Nunday Record

    Hungry work (Photo: Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)
  • Nunday Record

    Fueling up for the day (Photo: Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)
  • Nunday Record

    It's tiring work being a nun (Photo: Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)
  • Nunday Record

    ( Photo:Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)
  • Nunday Record

    (Photo:Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)
  • Nunday Record

    (Photo: Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)
  • Nunday Record

    (Photo: Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)
  • Nunday Record

    All 1436 nuns gathered in one place for the record (Photo: Brendan Landy/Landyphoto.com)

Off the record – upcoming Irish world record attempts >

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