Pope John Paul II's visit to Ireland

Pope John Paul II's visit to Ireland from Saturday, 29 September to Monday, 1 October 1979 was the first visit by a pope to Ireland. Over 2.5 million people attended events in Dublin, Drogheda, Clonmacnois, Galway, Knock, Limerick, and Maynooth. It was one of Pope John Paul's first foreign visits. The visit was occasioned by the centenary of the reputed apparition of Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint John the Evangelist in Knock, County Mayo in August 1879.

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. After being greeted by the President of Ireland, Dr Patrick Hillery, the Pope flew by helicopter to the Phoenix Park where he celebrated Mass for 1,250,000 people, one third of the population of the Republic of Ireland. Afterwards 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.

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