1979 visit by Pope John Paul II to Ireland

1979 papal visit September 2017 September 2017 August 2014 thumb|right|250px|Point where Pope John Paul II touched Irish soil in 1979 in Dublin Airport. Pope John Paul II visited Ireland from Saturday, 29 September to Monday, 1 October 1979, the first trip to Ireland by a pope.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4229807.stm Irish Remember the 1979 Papal Visit 2 April 2005 BBC News 4 August 2014 Over 2.5 million people attended events in Dublin, Drogheda, Clonmacnoise, Galway, Knock, Limerick, and Maynooth.http://www.rte.ie/archives/2014/0828/639956-itinerary-for-the-popes-visit-in-1979/ RTÉ Archives Itinerary For The Pope's Visit RTÉ 30 November 2017 29 August 1979 It was John Paul's third foreign visit as Pope, who had been elected in October 1978. The visit marked the centenary of the reputed apparitions at the Shrine of Knock in August 1879. Visit 29 September (Saturday) thumb|Papal Cross erected for the mass in Phoenix Park An Aer Lingus Boeing 747, named St Patrick, brought Pope John Paul II from Rome to Dublin Airport. The Pope kissed the ground as he disembarked.http://www.rte.ie/archives/exhibitions/681-history-of-rte/705-rte-1970s/289832-papal-visit-to-ireland/ RTÉ Archives Pope John Paul II Visits Ireland RTÉ 30 November 2017 29 September 1979 http://www.irishtimes.com/pope-john-paul-ii-s-irish-visit-1.1454069 Pope John Paul II's Irish visit (Slideshow) Irish Times 25 October 2014 After being greeted by the President of Ireland, Patrick Hillery, the Pope flew by helicopter to Phoenix Park, where he celebrated Mass for 1,250,000 people, one-third of the population of the Republic of Ireland.http://www.rte.ie/archives/exhibitions/1916-amateur-films/649009-visit-of-pope-john-paul-ll/ RTÉ Archives : Amateur Films John Cruise Pope John Paul Phoenix Park Dublin RTÉ 30 November 2017 29 September 1979 The Guardian (1/10/1979). "On Saturday, there were 1.25 millions at Phoenix Park, Dublin, alone. This was an official, monitored, figure. Worshippers were given lapel stickers, and the 980,000 supply was exhausted two hours before the Pope arrived as thousands more still poured in." Afterward, he travelled to Killineer, near Drogheda, where he led a Liturgy of the Word for 300,000 people, many from Northern Ireland. There, the Pope appealed to the men of violence: "On my knees, I beg you to turn away from the path of violence and return to the ways of peace". The Pope had hoped to visit Armagh, but the security situation in Northern Ireland rendered it impossible. Drogheda was selected as an alternative venue as it is situated in the Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh. Returning to Dublin that evening, the Pope was greeted by 750,000 people as he travelled in an open-top popemobile through the city centre and visited Áras an Uachtaráin, the residence of the Irish President.http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/canonisations-to-be-marked-across-ireland-1.1775320 Canonisations to be marked across Ireland Irish Times 26 April 2014 8 August 2014 His final engagement was a meeting with journalists at the Dominican Convent in Cabra.http://www.rte.ie/archives/2014/0929/648641-journalists-sing-to-pope-on-irish-visit/ RTÉ Archives A Song For The Pope RTÉ 30 November 2017 29 September 1979 The journalists from the international media broke into a spontaneous rendition of 'For he's a jolly good fellow' when the Pope arrived. Pope John Paul spent the night at the nearby Apostolic Nunciature on the Navan Road in Cabra. 30 September (Sunday) thumb|Altar used for Mass by Pope John Paul II while visiting Clonmacnoise Pope John Paul began the second day of his tour with a short visit to the ancient monastery at Clonmacnoise in County Offaly.Harbison Peter Pilgrimage in Ireland: The Monuments and the People https://books.google.com/books?id=TyDiLU70TREC&pg=PA117 1 April 1995 Syracuse University Press New York 978-0-8156-0312-2 117 With 20,000 in attendance, he spoke of how the ruins were "still charged with a great mission".http://www.advertiser.ie/mullingar/article/16052 Clonmacnoise youth festival draws the crowds Athlone Advertiser 21 August 2009 28 August 2014 Later that morning he celebrated a Youth Mass for 300,000 at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway.http://www.thefreelibrary.com/BALLYBRIT+STEEPED+IN+HISTORY.-a0338059695 Ballybrit steeped in History 9 January 2018 29 July 2013 Irish Daily Mirror The Free Library It was here that the Pope uttered perhaps the most memorable line of his visit: "Young people of Ireland, I love you".http://www.rte.ie/archives/2014/0930/648917-young-people-of-ireland-i-love-you/ RTÉ Archives Pope John Paul II Addresses Youth of Galway RTÉ 30 November 2017 30 September 1979 That afternoon, he travelled by helicopter to Knock Shrine in County Mayo which he described as "the goal of my journey to Ireland". The outdoor Mass at the shrine was attended by 450,000. The Pope met with the sick and elevated the church to the title of Basilica. He lit a candle at the Gable Wall for the families of Ireland. Monsignor James Horan, instrumental in the shrine's development, welcomed the Pope to Knock. 1 October (Monday) thumb|The Pope at St Patrick's College, Maynooth The final day of the visit began with a brief early morning visit to St Patrick's College, Maynooth, the National Seminary, in County Kildare.https://www.rte.ie/archives/2014/1007/650555-maynooth-college-gets-new-library/ RTÉ Archives John Paul II Library Opens in Maynooth RTÉ 9 January 2017 7 October 1984 Some 80,000 people joined 1,000 seminarians on the grounds of the college for the brief visit. A dense fog delayed the Pope's arrival from Dublin by helicopter. The final Mass of the Pope's visit to Ireland was celebrated at Greenpark Racecourse in Limerick before 400,000 people, many more than had been expected. The Mass was offered for the people of Munster. Pope John Paul left Ireland from nearby Shannon Airport travelling to Boston where he began a six-day tour of the United States. Aftermath Speeches and homilies Pope John Paul delivered 22 homilies and addresses during the course of this visit, including a televised message for the sick, broadcast on RTÉ on the evening of his arrival in Ireland. Audio files of his more significant speeches are preserved on the website of the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference.September 1979 - Pope John Paul II pilgrimage to Ireland, www.catholicbishops.ie, 30 July 2008 Irish independent record label Dolphin Records released a commemorative album of the visit entitled "Visit by Pope John Paul II to Ireland" which by 1983 was noted as their third best-selling album. Ó Baoill Dónall C. 1983-12-10 Dolphin Records Still Going Strong After 25 Years Andersonstown News (Iris an Phobail) en 20 Auction Many of the temporary fixtures and ornaments at the public masses were auctioned two months after the visit to help defray its cost.http://www.rte.ie/archives/2014/1112/658826-auction-of-papal-materials/ RTÉ Archives Papal Memorabilia Up For Auction RTÉ 30 November 2017 13 November 1979 A Time Remembered - The Visit of Pope John Paul II to Ireland was produced by RTÉ in 2005. Naming of children Many children were named John and Paul in the aftermath of the papal visit. There were many Johns and Pauls beforehand but there was a huge increase in the number of children called after the Pope's taken names. Some children were also given both names as their Christian name and were known as John Paul in honour of the Pope's visit.https://www.independent.ie/life/how-john-paul-became-our-most-popular-boys-name-30624752.html How John Paul became our most popular boy's name... 1 October 2014 22 August 2018 Graham Clifford Irish Independent See also The Pope's Children, a 2005 book by Irish journalist and economist David McWilliams which described the effects of the Celtic Tiger economic boom which affected those born at the time of the 1979 Pope visit World Meeting of Families 2018 Pope Francis's visit to Ireland References RTÉ Archives "rte" 30em General 30em Category:1979 in Christianity Category:1979 in Ireland Category:Ballybrit Racecourse Category:Catholic Church in the Republic of Ireland Ireland Category:Holy See–Ireland relations Category:Knock, County Mayo Category:Lists of 20th-century diplomatic visits Category:Phoenix Park Category:September 1979 in Europe Category:October 1979 in Europe Category:History of Catholicism in Ireland