Busloads of Kildare pilgrims set to attend Pope Francis mass

It will be an early start for those attending the Papal mass in the Phoenix Park this Sunday.

Clane parish is running two buses, carrying 104 people.

It will leave from the town at 9.00am on Sunday.

In Newbridge, five buses have been booked out to leave on Sunday morning for the Phoenix Park with each bus containing 56 people. They expect to leave the Parish Church between 8pm and 8.30pm.

In Rathangan, the parish office is still getting calls from people asking if there are cancellations. Its bus is fully booked up with 56 people expected to travel.

Three buses are leaving Naas for the papal mass in the Phoenix Park on Sunday.

The buses are booked for young people to travel to the event. The buses are scheduled to depart at 8am from the Church of the Irish Martyrs, Ballycane Road.

Prosperous parish had arranged for three buses and 174 people will be going on these, said a parish office spokesperson this morning (August 24).

Angela Delaney from the parish office in Prosperous explained that with an early start on Sunday morning (8am), it’s unlikely pilgrims will be able to leave Dublin before 8.30pm that evening - and notwithstanding what is likely to be a long and physically demanding day, the 174 includes several who are well into their 80’s.

Buses will be taking advantage of several parking spots along the Long Mile Road and Kylemore, which will necessitate a walk of up to 5kms for locals heading to see the mass in the Phoenix Park.

The three buses will leave at 7.45 am and are heading to the Kylemore car park area, which will necessitate a walk of up to 5kms for locals heading to see the mass in the Phoenix Park.

Read more: Kildare hope that Jesuit priest will be declared saint

Read more: Kildare Civil Defence to aid Pope's visit

Read more: Pope Francis visit: Weekend rail services to Croke Park and Papal Mass from Kildare announced

Allen parish is running one bus which will carry 50 people. Organiser there, Ronan Ashe, said that some people had dropped out after they realized the distance which would have to be walked. That is estimated as around seven kilometres. 

The Allen bus leaves Allenwood at 6.45 am, and will depart from Robertstown at 6.55 am. It will leave Allen itself at 7.05 am, where it will collect people from Milltown. Mr Ashe is not sure when they will arrive back.

The bus must be at the Kylemore car park between 8.00 am and 8.30 am. With mass starting at 3.00 pm and taking around an hour and a half, there is likely to be four hours before people leave. Return time is in the region of 8.00 pm to 9.00 pm, all going reasonably to plan.

Special bus services have been announced for Pope Francis's visit.

An Garda Síochána have urged motorists and the public to use public transport to travel there. In order to cater for anticipated demand, Bus Éireann will operate a greatly enhanced schedule which will see overall capacity increasing by over 100% on August 26. Over 500,000 people are expected to visit Dublin City on Sunday  August 26, where a Mass will be celebrated by Pope Francis.

Over 800 trips on both commuter and Expressway services will provide for over 30,000 passenger journeys to and from Dublin on the day. A bus on Route 12, serving Kildare, Newbridge, Naas, Kill and Dublin.

Read more: Papal visit: Kildare Jesuits to meet Pope Francis

Read more: Pope Francis may nod to sainthood of Kildare priest Blessed Fr John Sullivan