PILGRIMS FACING A 10-MILE HIKE TO SEE POPE
PILGRIMS to Knock for the Pope’s visit face a gruelling 16km (10 mile) walk if they take the car, organisers have revealed.
And the senior garda in charge for the event said the hike might be even longer if it
rains – because fields earmarked for parking won’t be available.
Event organisers are alarmed as it emerged that 91% of the 45,000 people with tickets for the Knock visit plan to travel by car. And as 41,000
people descend on the small village, creating a logistical nightmare, a huge chunk of the main N17 route through the town – 30km – will be closed from midnight on the Saturday before the Pope arrives in Mayo until at least 3pm on Sunday. The closed section will stretch from Claremorris to Charlestown.
Superintendent Tom Calvey, who is in charge of co-ordinating gardaí for the historic trip, yesterday said that the nearest any motorist will get to the shrine is 3km, but because of the crowds and gridlock most will face a much longer walk.
He said: ‘If the 91% of people decide to come by car, they will be parked possibly further out than Claremorris’, which is 8km from Knock.
And with so many cars, many would have to park another 8km on the other side of Claremorris.
Speaking from Knock, he explained: ‘Claremorris is 8km from here, so you’re talking 8km on each side, which is 16km.’ The superintendent, who is based in Claremorris, added: ‘I can see people being further out because, obviously, the car parking in the field is subject to weather. There will be some areas in the fields that, if the weather isn’t good, people can’t park there.
;There will be some parking on the N17 but obviously if people decide they’re all coming by car, some people are going to have some walk.’
In sharp contrast, the furthest those travelling by bus will have to walk is 1km, he said.
‘We’re hoping that the message will get out there to use buses.’ And Fr Richard Gibbons, parish priest and rector of Knock Shrine, echoed those comments. ‘We urge everyone travelling to Knock to please use coaches. It’s bus, bus, bus,’ he said. He urged parishes and community groups to consider organising coach transport for ticketholders. Irish Rail and Bus Éireann have added additional services for the event from areas including Galway, Athlone, Westport and Ballina.
A shuttle bus will transport people from Claremorris train station to Knock Shrine and that will be free for ticketholders.
Supt Calvey said no protests were anticipated during the visit, but plans are in place to facilitate any demonstrations in a way that would not ‘allow them to interfere with the day in general’.
Meanwhile for the Pope’s appearance in Dublin, an exclusion zone will be set up east of the M50 towards Phoenix Park and stretching out to west of O’Connell bridge.
Early estimates suggested people could face a walk of between 2km and 5km and wait times of approximately five hours.
Free travel for those attending the service has been organised across all the public transport services in Dublin. Organisers had advised attendees to book their seats early.
Gardaí have advised that everyone attending the Mass in the Phoenix Park to use public transport both to and from the event and to not take their cars.
Bus Éireann recently announced that it will be significantly increasing their services on the Sunday, August 26, in order to keep up with demand for the Mass in Phoenix Park.
According to the company, overall capacity will be more than doubled on the day with more than 800 journeys on commuter and expressway services to and from Dublin.
The routes with an ‘enhanced’ service will be the 101 from Drogheda to Balbriggan and Dublin; the 115 from Mullingar to Enfield, Kilcock and Dublin; and the 126 from Kildare to Newbridge, Naas, Kill and Dublin.
Meanwhile, Mayo Fianna Fáil Councillor John Caulfield said he is ‘very confident’ that the Knock event can be run successfully.
When asked about the potentially long walk people may face to the event, Mr Caulfield said: ‘We are not down to the finer details of it just yet. I would imagine that for older people there might be some form of a shuttle pre the arrival of the Pope from the bus stops or the access routes.
‘I do appreciate that there may be some people that would have to walk from parking or indeed from the bus stops.’
Pope Francis is expected to spend around 36 hours in Ireland during his visit for the World Meeting of Families.
He will be greeted by President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin shortly after his arrival on Saturday, August 25, before visiting Dublin Castle and the Pro-Cathedral.
He will also hold a private meeting at the Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless Families.
On the Sunday, he will fly to Knock airport, arriving at around 9.30am, travel to Knock Shrine, where he will transfer to the Pope Mobile at the back of the basilica, before moving through the crowd of 45,000 people. He will conclude his visit by saying the Angelus and exchanging gifts with representatives of the shrine, before departing for Dublin from the airport at around 10.50am.
Comment – Page 14 ronan.smyth@dialymail.ie
‘Please use the coaches’