Papal Visit to Ireland

[armaghniac]

This is not only protestors, this is people with tickets who couldn't be ars ed walking or getting wet. Yet there were probably another 100,000 who might have gone with those tickets.

Proof?

There were hundreds of thousands at mass today, some of those might have gone. But unless I give you a list of their names no doubt you'll argue with me anyway.

So you just grabbed a number that sounded good from your arse, then?

I did round off a number. So what, this is a discussion board not planning the logistics for the Pope.

[Rois]

I enjoyed my day in Phoenix Park, lovely friendly atmosphere.
He did speak a few words in Irish. The first reading was also as gaeilge.

[ONeill]

Thought Francis got it right again today.

He's wading is way through a tide he can't ever turn. Today was a good as it gets. I don't think he did any more harm to what has been done and maybe will slightly swell mass-going for a week or two.

[ONeill]

I enjoyed my day in Phoenix Park, lovely friendly atmosphere.
He did speak a few words in Irish. The first reading was also as gaeilge.

I thought his preface to the Mass today was more poignant as it was in his own tongue. I think that's the only time he spoke it over the weekend.

[Tony Baloney]

It's hard to round up a half million sheep in modern Ireland.

[ONeill]

JP had a much easier ride in 79. He was preaching to the converted and was a superstar. Francis was facing the complete opposite.

[Captain Obvious]

[Baile Brigín 2]

Those most likely to go were the late middle aged and elderly who are the core of the Catholic church in Ireland. All of the logistical advice and warnings about being able to walk 5Km, sit outside for several hours and then walk 5Km back to your transport. Add a long journey to and from Dublin and you eliminate a considerable number of potential attendees.

There was none of this health and safety nonsense in 1979.

If they only expected 150,000 then the buses could have parked closer. Not great organisation, all in all.

if they were only only expecting the 130,000 that showed up it wouldn't have been in the park in the first place, and Dublin would not have been shut down at a cost of 32m.

This was a flop, a farce and an own goal

[From the Bunker]

Bad turn out even from the Clergy themselves!

[Rois]

where did the 130k estimate come from? My ticket was not scanned as I went in so there can't be official figures to say that. Many "corrals" were empty because they didn't have a view of tv screens whilst others were over-capacity, and we just went into one that was more suitable. It felt like much more than 1.5x Croke Park.

[BennyCake]

Those most likely to go were the late middle aged and elderly who are the core of the Catholic church in Ireland. All of the logistical advice and warnings about being able to walk 5Km, sit outside for several hours and then walk 5Km back to your transport. Add a long journey to and from Dublin and you eliminate a considerable number of potential attendees.

There was none of this health and safety nonsense in 1979.

If they only expected 150,000 then the buses could have parked closer. Not great organisation, all in all.

if they were only only expecting the 130,000 that showed up it wouldn't have been in the park in the first place, and Dublin would not have been shut down at a cost of 32m.

This was a flop, a farce and an own goal

32 million? Funny how they can't find that sort of money to build houses.

[Rossfan]

Would only build 128 in Dublin....
But would be a start.
I wonder does Leo Varadkar feel any guilt for the abuse of 3,500 children sleeping in emergency hotel rooms tonight?

[Syferus]

Would only build 128 in Dublin....
But would be a start.
I wonder does Leo Varadkar feel any guilt for the abuse of 3,500 children sleeping in emergency hotel rooms tonight?

Yes. Let's try to change the spotlight the weekend that a Pope visits for the first time in 40 years. You definitely don't have ulterior motives or anything.

[sid waddell]

Looked a lot less than 130k there. More like 50/60k max.

[BennyCake]

Would only build 128 in Dublin....
But would be a start.
I wonder does Leo Varadkar feel any guilt for the abuse of 3,500 children sleeping in emergency hotel rooms tonight?

Yes. Let's try to change the spotlight the weekend that a Pope visits for the first time n 40 years. You definitely don't have ulterior motives or anything.

He has a point though.