Solemn it certainly is not - in spite of the title - and the Redemptorists don't believe they would attract such an attendance if it was. Almost 10 years after the then Bishop of Galway, Dr Eamonn Casey, sparked off a crisis within his church, up to 20,000 people have been flocking daily to the cathedral for the nine-day Novena.
Mass attendance may have fallen drastically, but the pre-Lent Novena which finished last week has never been more popular. Father Tony Flannery of the Redemptorist Order in Athenry, Co Galway, isn't quite sure why. "Many commentators tell us that there is a great spiritual hunger out there, and perhaps that is one of the reasons," he told The Irish Times.
Galway is one of three locations chosen by the Redemptorists for the annual event, which they initiated 20 years ago. Whereas Galway has seven sessions a day, amounting to up to 20,000 people, the 10 daily sessions in Limerick and Belfast in June attract between 12,000 and 15,000 people each day in total, he estimates. There is little pre-publicity, apart from a few posters - and the invaluable mention by AA Roadwatch.
The congregation is "not typical" in that it also attracts people who might not be regular Mass-goers. "Young women in their 20s working in offices, including professionals like solicitors, would come on their lunch break. The rite of reconciliation, one of the new forms of confession, seems to be particularly popular there as it is quick and doesn't involve using a confession box.
"We also get a lot of students from the university just across the road. Perhaps it is because it is not far off exam time, and there's a feeling that every little bit can help!" he adds.
"It's an attractive package, crowds tend to bring crowds, we put a lot of emphasis on a lively atmosphere with community singing of a good quality."