NEED TO CATCH up? TheJournal.ie brings you a roundup of today’s news.

Pope Francis boards a plane at Dublin Airport as he ends his visit to Ireland. Joe Giddens / PA Images Joe Giddens / PA Images / PA Images

IRELAND

• The second day of Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland got underway.
• He attended a silent prayer at Knock Shrine, but there was more criticism regarding comments he made about clerical abuse.
• The pontiff later led a Mass at the Phoenix Park, where he asked for forgiveness for all abuse carried out by members of the clergy.
• However, the number of people who attended the pope’s Mass was far below the original expectation of 500,000.
• As that happened, hundreds of people took part in a march in Dublin city centre to remember survivors of clerical sex abuse.
• Before leaving Ireland, the pope told bishops that the way the Church confronts abuse could offer an example to society.
• Meanwhile, a man was seriously injured after being hit by a Dublin Bus.
• And Ireland has agreed to take in up to 25 migrants who have been stranded off the coast of Italy for more than a week.

WORLD

A makeshift memorial at the office of Arizona Republican Senator John McCain. AP / PA Images AP / PA Images / PA Images

•  #USA: Republican senator and former US presidential candidate John McCain passed away at the age of 81.
• #FLORIDA: There were multiple casualties after a gunman opened fire at a video game tournament in Jacksonville.
• #AUSTRALIA: Foreign minister Julie Bishop quit after a failed bid to become the country’s new prime minster.

PARTING SHOT

Up to half a million people were expected to attend the pope’s Phoenix Park Mass today, in what was due to be one of the biggest organised events in Ireland since the last papal visit in 1979.

However, just a fraction of that showed up to see the pope in the end, with an initial garda estimate putting the number at as low as 130,000.

While no official figure has been released yet, aerial photos taken during the closing of the World Meeting of Families seem to confirm that the number didn’t hit anywhere near what was expected.

An aerial view of the crowd at Phoenix Park in Dublin as Pope Francis attends the closing Mass at the World Meeting of Families Liam McBurney / PA Images Liam McBurney / PA Images / PA Images

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