Pope ticket protest altar-ed after talks
Youngsters await rescue Popes Francis and Benedict last week A MAN who snapped up hundreds of tickets in protest against the Pope’s visit has had a change of heart.
Richard Duffy, 31, from Carlow, had registered to receive nearly 700 tickets for the pontiff’s trip to Phoenix Park next month.
But the telecoms worker, who had planned to print some tickets and burn them, will now cancel his bookings after seeing the light.
Mr Duffy said since speaking on RTE Radio One’s Liveline show last week he has had talks with friends and changed his position on the campaign.
He added: “My intention in participating in this protest was, along with a significant number of other people, to express my disgust that a mere seven years after the Taoiseach rightly stood up in the Dail to condemn the actions of the church, a welcome mat is now being rolled out for the Pope.
“I had viewed the inconvenience of tickets becoming unavailable to those who wanted to go as a necessary side-effect of the protest and not its aim.
“The primary goal of loudly expressing dissatisfaction has been accomplished.
“I no longer think that risking depriving tickets from people who genuinely want them is necessary.”
The news comes as the Vatican yesterday released pictures of the Pontiff ’s visit to his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, last week.
Mr Duffy is now considering staging a peaceful protest outside the park or joining a larger organised demonstration.