So who's going to see the Pope?

Discodog

If the Pope can't pull them in then the faithful are in serious trouble.

harr

KevRossi wrote: »

130,000 here today, 55,000 in Croker last night, plus whoever was in Knock. And then maybe 50,000 along the streets of Dublin yesterday (?).

Poor turnout if so.

I remember going to Knock as a child in 1979, and passing people walking along the roads 6 miles from Knock at 6 am. We got about 2 miles from Knock as my Dad, Uncle and one other were stewards. 450,000 showed up it seems. Feck all Portaloos, we shat a peed in the woods at the bottom of the car park.

I think people were also turned off by the thought of the 'long' walk in and eventually the weather. But it's still a mark of how much they have fallen over the past 40 years.

I can imagine a lot of people who attended last night are also in the park today..

Spanish Eyes

Honestly, all that ritual, shaking of incense and many men in dresses on the altar is just unreal!

I don't know if anyone understands it all TBH, and it just seems to take forever. Reminds me of when I was a teenager, and would go to evening Mass on Sunday (they were available back then) to please my parents. But I would go for a walk instead. The parents always went to 11oc Mass as they were in the choir.

I was only fifteen or sixteen then. No one cares about that kind of religious observance anymore. Only if you are devout and have faith and believe. Good luck to that cohort.

Hitman3000

Niles Crane wrote:

It sounds great too say Oh I don't go t mass any more because of sex abuse scandals but I suspect most people either decided they didn't really believe in god or found going to mass to be extremely boring.

You suspect but you don't know. The people I know that don't go, give the church's history of rape and abuse as their reason.

Discodog

I didn't watch it but do the crowds today & last night get immediate translations from Italian ?

ChikiChiki

Tzardine wrote: »

Turnout of 130,000 being claimed on thejournal.ie

The Church have been responsible for absolutely a huge amount of heinous crimes and cover ups in this tiny country. I cannot even fathom how that many people have attended given what we now know.

Spanish Eyes

I think I heard/read somewhere that Frankie didn't know about the Industrial Schools or the Magdalen laundries.

Did anyone else hear this?

cameramonkey

Looking at the photo there is no way 130,000 there. There are 60 visible pens for corralling people, no more than 5 or 6 look like they are anyway full. If they were expecting 500000 then each pen would hold just under 8500. So if 6 pens are full that is in or around 50,000.

Niles Crane

Hitman3000 wrote: »

You suspect but you don't know. The people I know that don't go, give the church's history of rape and abuse as their reason.

The reason the people I know stopped going is because it's boring, 13 and 14 year olds didn't tend to make decision like that due to moral outrage.The biggest reason for the fall of in attendance at mas sis because younger people don't go anymore.

The main reason is it's a bad way to spend an hour of your time every week when you could be doing something more entertaining and also people probably began to realize there is a very good chance that there is no god.

Tzardine

Niles Crane wrote: »

The reason the people I know stopped going is because it's boring, 13 and 14 year olds didn't tend to make decision like that due to moral outrage.The biggest reason for the fall of in attendance at mas sis because younger people don't go anymore.

The main reason is it's a bad way to spend an hour of your time every week when you could be doing something more entertaining and also people probably began to realize there is a very good chance that there is no god.

The journal now making excuses for the low turnout:

"We told you earlier that fewer than 130,000 people are in attendance, though 500,000 tickets were sold.

Our reporter Stephen McDermott has reminded us that this month, HSE emergency chiefs warned those with health problems against attending the mass if they were unable to do so, while poor weather is also understood to have kept many mass-goers at home.

He also notes a significant number of tickets were snapped up by protesters when they were made available in July, with some booking hundreds of tickets without any intention of attending today’s mass."

Hitman3000

Tzardine wrote:

The journal now making excuses for the low turnout:

Comical Ali springs to mind.

cdeb

cameramonkey wrote: »

I would say the weather put a lot off going but even at that the turn out is really poor.

TV culture would affect the crowd too; nowadays, people watch everything on TV and wouldn't think of going somewhere.

As a smaller example, LoI clubs have given out about having their games live on telly because it hits crowds. Why bother getting off your arse if you can watch in 42" HD?

Wasn't an option in 79.

ELM327

Tzardine wrote: »

The journal now making excuses for the low turnout:

"We told you earlier that fewer than 130,000 people are in attendance, though 500,000 tickets were sold.

Our reporter Stephen McDermott has reminded us that this month, HSE emergency chiefs warned those with health problems against attending the mass if they were unable to do so, while poor weather is also understood to have kept many mass-goers at home.

He also notes a significant number of tickets were snapped up by protesters when they were made available in July, with some booking hundreds of tickets without any intention of attending today’s mass."

500,000 tickets were not sold.
1 - you cannot sell something that is given for free
2 - the tickets did not run out, the timeframe ran out after only something like 300k were ordered.


Just under 1% of those 300k were ordered by me, and there were many others in the #saynopetothepope group that ordered way more than me and received them.

harr

They have half a million pieces of bread for the communion and 8000 to give it out..that’s a lot of waste

Hitman3000

cdeb wrote:

Wasn't an option in 79.

There were TV's in 79 and JP's visit was televised.

Wheeliebin30

Jesus why does everyone look so depressed there.

Agricola

You'd have to say this is a fine long mass. He'll break Fr. Clippet's record at this rate.

Plague Maiden

You wouldn't feel the winter going by with masses the length of this one.

cdeb

Hitman3000 wrote: »

There were TV's in 79 and JP's visit was televised.

There weren't 42" HD TVs though. Quality wouldn't have been remotely comparable to today's broadcast.

And TV culture has taken over markedly since 79. It's almost a mindset now that if you want to watch an event, TV is the first port of call, not the actual venue itself. Wasn't the case back then.

jos28

Mr.Crinklewood wrote: »

Is there a civil ceremony type thingy for funerals?

Yep
http://civilfuneralsireland.com/

Irish Kings

Tzardine wrote: »

The journal now making excuses for the low turnout:

"We told you earlier that fewer than 130,000 people are in attendance, though 500,000 tickets were sold.

Our reporter Stephen McDermott has reminded us that this month, HSE emergency chiefs warned those with health problems against attending the mass if they were unable to do so, while poor weather is also understood to have kept many mass-goers at home.

He also notes a significant number of tickets were snapped up by protesters when they were made available in July, with some booking hundreds of tickets without any intention of attending today’s mass."

I'm amazed anyone turned out given all the crimes of the Church.
No tickets were sold, and everyone was more or less told to stay away. Thousands of tickets were burned.
The authorities also made it as difficult as possible for people to attend and made them walk long distances. And the weather was shyte.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

cdeb wrote: »

TV culture would affect the crowd too; nowadays, people watch everything on TV and wouldn't think of going somewhere.

As a smaller example, LoI clubs have given out about having their games live on telly because it hits crowds. Why bother getting off your arse if you can watch in 42" HD?

Wasn't an option in 79.

If anything, TV has less sway now than in 1979. People are really grasping here.

Discodog

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I think I heard/read somewhere that Frankie didn't know about the Industrial Schools or the Magdalen laundries.

Did anyone else hear this?

It would be implausible.

autumnbelle

Genuinely interested to know what happened the 350k other tickets that were released? I looked to get some a week ago and they were all gone? Did people just not go Because of the weather etc. the overhead shot there doesn’t look as empty as other shots

iguana

cdeb wrote: »

And TV culture has taken over markedly since 79. It's almost a mindset now that if you want to watch an event, TV is the first port of call, not the actual venue itself. Wasn't the case back then.

Yeah it was just like that in Limerick on Monday. We all stayed home to watch the hurlers arrive back on the news. No way did 120,000 of us all go do it in person. No wait......

IamtheWalrus

cdeb wrote: »

There weren't 42" HD TVs though. Quality wouldn't have been remotely comparable to today's broadcast

Not sure if serious

cdeb

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

If anything, TV has less sway now than in 1979. People are really grasping here.

I'll be honest - I wasn't around (much) in 1979, but I would be amazed if that were the case. People are far more inclined to watch an event on TV today rather than physically go to it, I would have thought.

Obviously the other reasons hold too; I'm just suggesting this as one more for the reduced crowd.

erica74

Loads of excuses being thrown around:pac:
Are people afraid to just say that many many people hate the catholic church and everything related to it and there are far less catholics in Ireland now?

EdgeCase

They're just making claims of 500,000 in the speech at mass there. Just be using the same maths as Trump!?

cdeb

iguana wrote: »

Yeah it was just like that in Limerick on Monday. We all stayed home to watch the hurlers arrive back on the news. No way did 120,000 of us all go do it in person. No wait......

The exception that proves the rule?

Fair point though.

murpho999

cdeb wrote: »

TV culture would affect the crowd too; nowadays, people watch everything on TV and wouldn't think of going somewhere.

As a smaller example, LoI clubs have given out about having their games live on telly because it hits crowds. Why bother getting off your arse if you can watch in 42" HD?

Wasn't an option in 79.

You're just making excuses now.

People don't go t o LOI games for different reasons.

People just have not shown up like in 79 and there was live coverage on tv then.

The country has thankfully changed and the church no longer has the power and influence it had.

Just need the media to realise this and give them less airtime than what they get now.

Varta

The time has arrived for the state to seize control of the schools. The tyranny of the rcc in Ireland is over.

appledrop

Very few people going to see the Pope by the looks of it. The weather will be used as the excuse but even yesterday when lovely day very few lined the streets in city centre.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

ELM327 wrote: »

500,000 tickets were not sold.
1 - you cannot sell something that is given for free
2 - the tickets did not run out, the timeframe ran out after only something like 300k were ordered.


Just under 1% of those 300k were ordered by me, and there were many others in the #saynopetothepope group that ordered way more than me and received them.

Why did you do that?

Irish Kings

autumnbelle wrote: »

Genuinely interested to know what happened the 350k other tickets that were released? I looked to get some a week ago and they were all gone? Did people just not go Because of the weather etc. the overhead shot there doesn’t look as empty as other shots

One guy was on here earlier boasting he alone burned 3500 and said so did many others, so who knows.

lawred2

cdeb wrote: »

I'll be honest - I wasn't around (much) in 1979, but I would be amazed if that were the case. People are far more inclined to watch an event on TV today rather than physically go to it, I would have thought.

Obviously the other reasons hold too; I'm just suggesting this as one more for the reduced crowd.

That'll be one of the excuses for sure

cdeb

murpho999 wrote: »

People don't go t o LOI games for different reasons.

Not the point I'm making. Those who do go are less inclined to go if the game is on telly.

murpho999 wrote: »

The country has thankfully changed and the church no longer has the power and influence it had.

Completely agree with this, and amn't looking to deny it at all.

Strazdas

autumnbelle wrote: »

Genuinely interested to know what happened the 350k other tickets that were released? I looked to get some a week ago and they were all gone? Did people just not go Because of the weather etc. the overhead shot there doesn’t look as empty as other shots

500,000 was simply a nominal upper limit given that all tickets were completely free and that was the maximum number they could cater for in one area. That doesn't mean they actually expected 500,000 would show up....it was total guesswork after the tickets were distributed.

sunbeam

There was extensive television coverage in 1979. We did not have 42 inch HD, but I have vivid memories of myself and the cousins heading off to my aunt's house to watch it in colour.

I was 7 and if I recall correctly we also got the Monday off school.

murpho999

cdeb wrote: »

There weren't 42" HD TVs though. Quality wouldn't have been remotely comparable to today's broadcast.

And TV culture has taken over markedly since 79. It's almost a mindset now that if you want to watch an event, TV is the first port of call, not the actual venue itself. Wasn't the case back then.

You're just digging a bigger hole for yourself now.

TVs then were at the level that everyone was used to and it was perfectly fine.

The country was more religious then, simple as that.

To follow your logic then ever live even would be empty, GAA games, Ireland rugby and football etc.

42" would be small by today's standards too.;)

Sammy2012

Why would someone waste so much of their time to order so many tickets? Pathetic!

Hitman3000

Sammy2012 wrote:

Why would someone waste so much of their time to order so many tickets? Pathetic!

Actually it can be done in less than 5 minutes.

Try_harder

Did Ed Sheehan pull bigger numbers?

Discodog

Sammy2012 wrote: »

Why would someone waste so much of their time to order so many tickets? Pathetic!

Because it's a way to protest. Their actions didn't deny others tickets. Nothing speaks louder that huge empty spaces.

Guy:Incognito

Sammy2012 wrote: »

Why would someone waste so much of their time to order so many tickets? Pathetic!

Could be worse. He could have wasted a whole afternoon trekking to the Phoenix park for mass.

Try_harder

6 of my family went to Ed Sheeran, 1 to the pope

Strazdas

Disc wrote: »

Because it's a way to protest. Their actions didn't deny others tickets. Nothing speaks louder that huge empty spaces.

Which must be very frustrating for the protesters. All that effort and it was never going to be a full house anyway....became an empty gesture.

Billy86

erica74 wrote: »

Loads of excuses being thrown around:pac:
Are people afraid to just say that many many people hate the catholic church and everything related to it and there are far less catholics in Ireland now?

There are many that hate the RCC, but to be honest I think we're more at a point now where the majority simply just don't care.

Plague Maiden

Try_harder wrote: »

6 of my family went to Ed Sheeran, 1 to the pope

The Pope has better tunes though.

road_high

Strazdas wrote: »

Which must be very frustrating for the protesters. All that effort and it was never going to be a full house anyway....became an empty gesture.

I’m hardly pro RCC but that was actually a very nasty, petty stunt. Let people go if they wanted to. They mightn’t have wanted to go but no point blocking others from doing so