Will shops close for Pope’s visit or not?

October 1979

Shops in Wexford are expected to be closed for the first day of the Papal visit on Saturday, despite a decision last Thursday by members of the Federated Union of Employers to remain open that day.

The FUE turned down a request from the local branch of the Irish Union of Distributive Workers and Clerks, which felt shops should close to accommodate workers who would like to go to the Phoenix Park in Dublin to see Pope John Paul II.

The plan to remain open was not changed during the week, but on Monday, the Traders Committee of the Chamber of Commerce announced that its members would close, and urged that all other traders would do likewise.

In a statement, the Committee said they were taking this action to facilitate people who wanted to travel to Dublin, or watch the arrival of the Pope on television. They pointed out that in return, shops would open during the afternoon of the traditional ‘half day’ this week instead of closing at lunchtime, while they would also remain open for an extra hour on Friday evening, not closing then until 6 p.m.

But Clerks Union Chairman, Mr Padge Reck, said on Wednesday there was still some confusion about the situation. He had not been officially notified that the shops would close.

Mr Reck said he had no objection to the shops closing, but the days off rota system had started for this week and he wanted to ensure that this members would not lose out on their official days off.