So who's going to see the Pope?

Billy86 · 25-08-2018 06:01PM

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

Well for me, it’s interesting to compare to the 1979 crowds. I’ve seen aerials of Knock in 1979 that were astounding. People radiating outwards to the fields around the village. I will be very interested to compare tomorrow’s crowds there. It’s noteworthy from a social history point of view. I don’t see what’s strange about it.

Should also be worth noting that the population is about 50% bigger than it was back then; something else I would be looking at would be the demographics if at all possiblegiven the high Catholic populations of some of the countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, South America and the likes of the Philippines all of which we have picked up a fair few migrants/visitors from since then.

dasdog · 25-08-2018 06:01PM

It's moving to celebration mode. Christians in Croker. Leave 'em be and let them have their night out. Even if mental illness appears to be a common theme.

25-08-2018 06:01PM

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

This was O’Connell Street and Westmoreland Street as the Pope passed through earlier.

People wanting to cheer the Pope were corralled into certain areas along the route and other areas kept free presumably for security reasons. Hence the greater empty spaces

Strazdas · 25-08-2018 06:02PM

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

Well for me, it’s interesting to compare to the 1979 crowds. I’ve seen aerials of Knock in 1979 that were astounding. People radiating outwards to the fields around the village. I will be very interested to compare tomorrow’s crowds there. It’s noteworthy from a social history point of view. I don’t see what’s strange about it.

1979 was always going to be a one off in its scale. A popular and very charismatic (and fairly young) Pope who had just been appointed and Ireland was still a devout country with high church attendance. It was a snapshot moment in time.

Billy86 · 25-08-2018 06:03PM

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

This was O’Connell Street and Westmoreland Street as the Pope passed through earlier.

I thought there might be less than expected but that's staggeringly low. Tomorrow may be interesting, looks like it will mainly be day-trippers from outside Dublin if they want to have a respectable number there.

25-08-2018 06:04PM

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

Well for me, it’s interesting to compare to the 1979 crowds. I’ve seen aerials of Knock in 1979 that were astounding. People radiating outwards to the fields around the village. I will be very interested to compare tomorrow’s crowds there. It’s noteworthy from a social history point of view. I don’t see what’s strange about it.

You won’t see 1979 type crowds tomorrow. It’s well documented that numbers are limited and non ticket holders should stay away.

There were NO tickets in 1979.

harr · 25-08-2018 06:05PM

Oliver Callan Not holding back on his comments on RTE 2 at moment... they have that other clown on it as well Francis Brennan .
Good to see RTE letting some of the guests have a free say, on both sides.

cml387 · 25-08-2018 06:06PM

I believe Sean Spicer is on hand to give an estimation of the crowd later.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 25-08-2018 06:06PM

Strazdas wrote: »

1979 was always going to be a one off in its scale. A popular and very charismatic (and fairly young) Pope who had just been appointed and Ireland was still a devout country with high church attendance. It was a snapshot moment in time.

Well yeah, that’s the point. Ministry of the Bleeding Obvious right here. :pac:

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 25-08-2018 06:08PM

Billy86 wrote: »

Should also be worth noting that the population is about 50% bigger than it was back then; something else I would be looking at would be the demographics if at all possiblegiven the high Catholic populations of some of the countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, South America and the likes of the Philippines all of which we have picked up a fair few migrants/visitors from since then.

Yup, good point.

nim1bdeh38l2cw · 25-08-2018 06:09PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

People wanting to cheer the Pope were corralled into certain areas along the route and other areas kept free presumably for security reasons. Hence the greater empty spaces

Bollocks. There was supposed to be 100,000 people there, where were the other 90,000?

25-08-2018 06:10PM

is there anything RTE won't plug Francis Brennan and that dragons den one on?

They'll surely milk them for a few interviews on Radion, Miriam, Late Late etc... now on their feelings of the visit

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 25-08-2018 06:10PM

Deleted User wrote: »

You won’t see 1979 type crowds tomorrow. It’s well documented that numbers are limited and non ticket holders should stay away.

There were NO tickets in 1979.

My folks ended up with six tickets for Knock. They can’t offload the spare four. They tried.

Deleted User wrote: »

People wanting to cheer the Pope were corralled into certain areas along the route and other areas kept free presumably for security reasons. Hence the greater empty spaces

I don’t believe that alone would cause it to look so sparse.

Beechwoodspark · 25-08-2018 06:11PM

Fantastic buzz around town this evening. Can we keep the Pope to keep this going??!!

Strazdas · 25-08-2018 06:11PM

Billy86 wrote: »

I thought there might be less than expected but that's staggeringly low. Tomorrow may be interesting, looks like it will mainly be day-trippers from outside Dublin if they want to have a respectable number there.

Rubbish - I was in town and there were many thousands there solely to see the Pope. There was no question at all of a low or 'disappointing' turnout along the route.

Those aerial shots are giving an impression of half empty streets, it was nothing remotely like that.

Irish Kings · 25-08-2018 06:13PM

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

Well for me, it’s interesting to compare to the 1979 crowds. I’ve seen aerials of Knock in 1979 that were astounding. People radiating outwards to the fields around the village. I will be very interested to compare tomorrow’s crowds there. It’s noteworthy from a social history point of view. I don’t see what’s strange about it.

Even if crowds on the '79 scale were expected they would not be allowed on health and safety grounds today. Also you have to compare like with like, JPII was a one and was off, and when he he still has his health before the assassination attempt, was in a truly different league to Francis. Millions turned out in Poland for JPII, a staggering achievement against the atheist communist authorities wishes behind the Iron curtain and the first non Italian Pope in over 400 years. It was the beginning of the end of the USSR and Eastern block. This was just before his visit just before Ireland's, the first ever by any Pope.

But given all the criminal cover ups by the Irish Bishops in Ireland, and cardinals in the Vatican since then, I'm amazed there is anyone going out to even see him. I'm more staggered by the crowds this time than in '79. The '79 crowds were expected.

FrancieBrady · 25-08-2018 06:13PM

Strazdas wrote: »

1979 was always going to be a one off in its scale. A popular and very charismatic (and fairly young) Pope who had just been appointed and Ireland was still a devout country with high church attendance. It was a snapshot moment in time.

Ireland was pretending to be a 'devout' country you mean and the Vatican was pretending to be filled with good men.

Ireland is no longer pretending but the Vatican still is.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 25-08-2018 06:14PM

Strazdas wrote: »

Rubbish - I was in town and there were many thousands there solely to see the Pope. There was no question at all of a low or 'disappointing' turnout along the route.

Those aerial shots are giving an impression of half empty streets, it was nothing remotely like that.

The aerial shots are much more reliable than eyewitness accounts. Those photos I screengrabbed are at exactly the time he was passing through, on the main thoroughfares in the city centre. You don’t give people’s intelligence much credit, do you?

Discodog · 25-08-2018 06:14PM

Strazdas wrote: »

Rubbish - I was in town and there were many thousands there solely to see the Pope. There was no question at all of a low or 'disappointing' turnout along the route.

Those aerial shots are giving an impression of half empty streets, it was nothing remotely like that.

People would gather to see any criminal, celebrity etc. It's natural curiosity.

Strazdas · 25-08-2018 06:15PM

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Ireland was pretending to be a 'devout' country you mean and the Vatican was pretending to be filled with good men.

Ireland is no longer pretending but the Vatican still is.

As I said, it was a snapshot in time. Had he come ten years later it may have been a different story. Several different factors combined to cause the big turnout.

ewc78 · 25-08-2018 06:15PM

dasdog wrote: »

It's moving to celebration mode. Christians in Croker. Leave 'em be and let them have their night out. Even if mental illness appears to be a common theme.

Ignorant comment.

25-08-2018 06:17PM

Gunnar Jolly Windstorm wrote: »

Bollocks. There was supposed to be 100,000 people there, where were the other 90,000?

Who said only 10000 turned out and Jezz what’s with the passionate outburst on how many people did or didn’t turn out today- take a chill pill there or you’ll need that priest to administer the last rights :pac:

Beechwoodspark · 25-08-2018 06:19PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Who said only 10000 turned out and Jezz what’s with the passionate outburst on how many people did or didn’t turn out today- take a chill pill there or you’ll need that priest to administer the last rights :pac:

You’re the one obsessed over crowd size!!

Take it from me. There were huge crowds there today. The buzz was fantastic. Everyone in great form -feckin brilliant day all in all!

Excuse the language holy father

Irish Kings · 25-08-2018 06:20PM

Discodog wrote: »

People would gather to see any criminal, celebrity etc. It's natural curiosity.

I don't recall Bertie drawing as big a crowd

dasdog · 25-08-2018 06:20PM

ewc78 wrote: »

Ignorant comment.

Not really. It's tolerant and observing.

25-08-2018 06:20PM

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

The aerial shots are much more reliable than eyewitness accounts. Those photos I screengrabbed are at exactly the time he was passing through, on the main thoroughfares in the city centre. You don’t give people’s intelligence much credit, do you?

Off you go and count them so.

1, 2, 3, 4,

You do know how to count don’t you?

The high horse brigade · 25-08-2018 06:20PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

You’re the one obsessed over crowd size!!

Take it from me. There were huge crowds there today. The buzz was fantastic. Everyone in great form -feckin brilliant day all in all!

Excuse the language holy father

You've said so a million times

Under His Eye · 25-08-2018 06:21PM

dasdog wrote: »

It's moving to celebration mode. Christians in Croker. Leave 'em be and let them have their night out. Even if mental illness appears to be a common theme.

Could you imagine it if they won the referendum?

Irish Kings · 25-08-2018 06:22PM

Under His Eye wrote: »

Could you imagine it if they won the referendum?

they did, lots of times

Discodog · 25-08-2018 06:22PM

Irish Kings wrote: »

I don't recall Bertie drawing as big a crowd

He just wants to be President , not pope.

So who's going to see the Pope?

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