Everything you need to know about road closures this weekend

Aug 24, 2018

Our social media feeds have been flooded with talk of Pope Francis' arrival this weekend, and we can't cope with anymore news about it.

But whether we plan to attend The World Meeting of Families or not, the whole city will be affected by the masses drawn to the Catholic figurehead.

Due to the large crowds, the city will be enforcing road closures throughout city centre for security’s sake.

Pope Francis will arrive in Ireland tomorrow, August 25th, around 10:30am, and will be staying until Sunday evening. He plans to do some sight seeing and attend to papal duties before he leads mass and visits with the Irish public. Tickets have already sold out to attend the holy mass in Phoenix Park on Sunday.

If you are one of those lucky enough to have snagged tickets, then there will be free transport (with presentation of your ticket) in the greater Dublin area on August 25th. There will no carpark near the event, but you can get to Phoenix park by any of the following routes:

If you aren’t able to attend but still want to catch a glimpse of the pope, you can follow his route while he is in Dublin. His full day itinerary can be found here.

Because of his widespread travel around the city, Gardaí will be closing down specific roads and have warned the public to be aware of the altered public transport routes this weekend.

So what roads will be closed?

Most of the main roads in city centre will be closed on Saturday from 12pm-4:30pm, including O’Connell St, Westmoreland St, Abbey St, Henry St, Dame St, Nassau St, and areas of the quays.

Sunday will see even longer road closures during the entire day from 6am-11pm. These closed roads include those surrounding the park: Navan Rd, Chapelizod Hill Rd, JFK Dr, Kylemore Park, most of the quays, and many more.

For a full list of road closures, click here.

We recommend planning to walk everywhere if you leave the house on Sunday.

Sounds like the perfect hangover day to recover from the Saturday night sesh.

This parody of what to wear to Sunday mass is beyond funny

Entertainment

Mar 29, 2017

by Staff Writer

Mass is still a part and parcel of Irish society, and not going at Easter or Christmas can be considered an atrocious offence by the parish.

However, heading to mass can be a bit of an ordeal.

There's the whole what to wear question, and the panic when you realise that you're actually expected to sit up and listen to the Gospel according to whoever rather than scroll through Instagram for the hour.

This was my favourite time of year as a kid because my parents would always forget to change the clocks and we'd end up missing mass

— Orlaith Condon (@OrlaithCondon) March 25, 2017

Luckily, Emma Doran's new comedy video is your ultimate field guide on how to handle that mandatory mass.

"We've all had to do it, we've all had to go to mass for some sort of family reason, but I have some tips that will hopefully help you pull off the look," she says, before bestowing upon us the most blessed of all mass hacks to help us through.

First up, Emma advises rocking that noughties foundation lips look, so that know one knows you're completely bluffing your way through those prayers (seriously, we can't be the only ones who still aren't used to the new format of the prayers?)

Next week is my first Sunday off work since November. Buzzin to be able to get pissed on the wine at mass now

— Sinead Farrelly (@Neady94) January 14, 2015

Secondly, she recommends donning some nice, chunky bangles to clatter together when the donation basket comes around to distract people from knowing that you're not putting a cent in the thing.

And finally, no mass outfit is complete without a crutch, to avoid the whole sitting/kneeling/standing debacle.

Check out Emma's full repertoire of tips for yourself:

Feature image: Emma Doran/YouTube

Oh, and while we have you; don't forget to have your say in the inaugural SHEmazing Awards this May! It's time to vote, and you can do it right here!

Over Tinder? Well, the Catholic Church are launching… ‘SINDR’

News

Nov 25, 2016

by Staff Writer

Have you even gotten the sudden urge to attend mass and absolve all your sins?

If so you're in luck, as a Scottish Archbishop may have just created the most Irish Mammy style app in history.

The Catholic App is designed to let users search for the nearest Holy Mass, confessional or diocesan statistics, to help lead the holy to the nearest house of God.

The Catholic App is the first “confession finder” to be introduced as part of a growing trend for churches to use technology to attract congregations.

The app, which is the brain child of Archbishop Leo Cushley, has already been launched in Rome and will then be trialled in the archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Scotland.

Thanks to all who took part in today's very successful launch of our new Mass & Confession finder app in Rome especially @viganoctv. pic.twitter.com/nAeq3hCgLd

— Archbishop Cushley (@leocushley) November 22, 2016

“The idea was really inspired by the Holy Father himself,” said Archbishop Cushley, who announced the app on Vatican Radio.

“He said to be imaginative about what to do for the Holy Year of Mercy."

The app, which has inevitably been dubbed “Sindr” by online commentators will be launched early next year.

G’wan! This lad turned Fresh Prince lyrics into a song about MASS

Oct 28, 2016

by Amber Saunders

The Mass Facebook page has been doing the rounds all week, but this post has possibly taken the biscuit.

Kevin RyanFitzgerald took to the Facebook group and posted a parody of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and we have to say, it's brilliant.

"In the west side of Rome born and raised, in the Vatican is where I spent most of my days, chilling out with priests and praying all cool and all saying Hail Marys outside Sunday school, when a couple of prodies who where up to no good, started slagging Jesus in my neighbourhood, I got in one little row and me Ma had a mare, she said you're moving with your aunty and uncle in Kildare."

The post already has 63,000 likes and has been shared over 2,000 times.

We think this song needs to win a prize.

‘Is your man still jarred?’ 10 things that WILL happen at Christmas mass

Uncategorized

Dec 24, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Mass on Christmas Day can be a stressful time. Here are the things that happen every year:

1. Your dad will try to make you leave 30 minutes early for the five minute walk to the church

2. You sit there and listen to the rosary for what feels like a lifetime

3. You forget all of the times you are supposed to sit, stand and kneel

4. You forget all of the prayers and use the old women sitting in front of you who are five lines ahead as a guide

5. You’ll trip on the way/way back from Communion

6. You don’t put your hands out on time and the Holy Communion is shoved in your mouth

7. Your mom will catch you on Twitter #boredinmass

8. You begin a totally in-your-head feud with the girl across the altar. She totally just dissed your new dress with her eyes – she’s going down

9. You forget said feud once you realise that guy you eyed up on the way in is the dribbly kid you went to primary school with. My, my, what a few years can do…

10. You realise going for that one (five) drinks with your bestie in the local was a mistake as you now REALLY need to pee and he is still nowhere near final blessing

11. You hear those magical words “mass is now over thanks be to God go now in peace to love and serve the Lord" and leg it back to the pub

Memories every Irish person has of mass

Uncategorized

Sep 4, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Sunday mornings were tough when the duvet was ripped from your bed at some ungodly hour and you were marched out the door to mass which, although only 40mins, felt like an eternity.

1. Chaos in the house trying to get there on time. Your Mum and Dad killing each other..