Road closures, itineraries and Popemobiles – we’ve got it all.
Pope Francis is scheduled to appear in Dublin on 26 August, 39 years after his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, made his way through the Irish capital before celebrating Mass at the Phoenix Park in front of one million people.
Over half a million free tickets were made available for those who wanted to see the pontiff this weekend – all of which have been distributed – and Dublin city will be tricky to manoeuvre.
However, we’ve got you covered.
Road closures
Transport is a tricky one, as most of the greater Dublin area will be on full lockdown.
A number of M50 junctions are set to close from Saturday – as well as the city centre becoming a no-drive zone. Even bicycles aren’t permitted in the city, with a number of bike park zones totally out of bounds for the duration of the weekend.
And for those travelling to Knock, it is important to note that the N17 between Charlestown and Claremorris will be closed from 12 midnight on Saturday until at least 3pm on Sunday as a result of the Pope’s visit.
Speechless. #papalvisit #cycling pic.twitter.com/utVKEpVHFT
— Cllr Claire Byrne (@CByrneGreen) August 22, 2018
As for a full list of traffic restrictions, click here. Dublin Bus diversions can be found here.
Transport to Phoenix Park, Croke Park and Knock
For the 500,000 of you looking to travel to the Phoenix Park mass on Sunday, the Gardaí have released information on how to make your way to the ceremony.
This involves taking full notice of the colour coded route as outlined on your ticket. Full information here.
For a comprehensive look at how exactly you can get to the Phoenix Park mass, make sure you check this out.
AA Roadwatch have issued details on how to get yourself safely to all three events, specifically detailing local road closures.
Banned items
As for the items permitted to take with you on your journey to Phoenix Park; small flasks and sandwiches are alright but cans, large items and mobility scooters are all banned.
A full list of prohibited items can be found here.
Weather
Bring a raincoat. More details here.
Popemobile
While each of the ticketed events are fully sold out, it is still possible to see the Pope in the flesh by hitting the city centre about 4pm and catching a glimpse of the Popemobile in full flight.
This is the only real opportunity for the public to see the pontiff on Saturday, as he makes way to Brother Kevin in the Capuchin Day Centre shortly after 4pm. Full details here.
Image via Transport for Ireland
Itinerary
His Holiness travels to Ireland on the 25 and 26 of August.
His full official itinerary for this visit can be seen here, but here’s all you really need to know.
Saturday, 25 August
- Pope Francis will meet Michael D. Higgins and his wife at the Áras at 11.15am.
- The pontiff will make a speech at Dublin Castle at 12.10pm.
- He will then conduct some professional business in the capital, before a concert in Croke Park.
- The Pope will be entertained by stars such as Daniel O’Donnell and Nathan Carter and the cast of Riverdance at 7.30pm for the Feast of the Families.
Sunday, 26 August
- Pope Francis will travel to the Knock Shrine for 9.45am.
- He will then travel back to Dublin for his Phoenix Park mass at 2.30pm.
- Finally, the pontiff will depart Ireland at 6.30pm with a farewell ceremony in Dublin Airport.
TV scheduling
For those of you who can’t make it to the public events, the whole weekend will be broadcast live across a number of Irish TV stations. Full details here.
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