Diarmuid Pepper in Rome

IN ST PETER’S Square, flags from all over the world can be seen as the faithful stare at the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and await the smoke signals from the conclave.

But it wasn’t a flag which alerted The Journal to Harry Mulqueen, from Tulla in Co Clare.

Rather, he was spotted because he was wearing a pair of O’Neill shorts while sitting beneath one of the bollards in St Peter’s Square.

He said he decided “on a whim” a few weeks ago to come to Rome to see the conclave.

“I was thinking about it when Pope Francis got a double case of pneumonia,” said Mulqueen, “and I was thinking to myself, ‘I’ll have a trip over’.

“And then a few days ago, I spent half my savings and decided to come here.”

Spotted a pair of @ONeills1918 shorts so knew it was more than likely to be an Irish person! Harry from Clare is over more so to be a part of the history of it all but has some favourites in mind that he’d like to see emerge from the central balcony of St Peter’s @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/x5P0Rfs6HT

— Diarmuid Pepper (@Diarmuid_9) May 8, 2025

As for who he would like to see emerge from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, Mulqueen said he “wouldn’t mind seeing a new pope like Matteo Zuppi or Pierbattista Pizzaballa”.

Both men are Italian and while around 80% of popes have been Italian, including an unbroken 450-year reign, there hasn’t been an Italian pope since Pope John Paul I in 1978.

Indeed, there was applause yesterday in the Square when Zuppi and Pizzaballa appeared on the big screens to swear their oath of secrecy in the Sistine Chapel.

There has so far been applause for Luis Antonio Tagle, Matteo Zuppi, and some small applause for Pierbattista Pizzaball, the head of the Church in the Middle East @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/luqhMZ0SNL

— Diarmuid Pepper (@Diarmuid_9) May 7, 2025

Mulqueen said he’d like to see a “liberal pope that Francis would be a fan of”.

Given that he was listing off “papabile”, I asked Mulqueen if he was because he was a Catholic or if he came to the Vatican to take in the history of the occasion.

“I’d say I’m more here for the history of it all, it’s a very big event.

“If it’s a young pope, like Pizzaballa who is 60, he will have a long reign and a lot of influence.

“I’m here more for the history. I wouldn’t call myself a particularly passionate Catholic, but it is there, I’ve been brought up in the Catholic environment in Ireland.”

Mulqueen said he arrived at the Square early this morning and that he is sustaining himself on a packet of breakfast bars as he awaits the smoke.

“I’ve been here since 12pm and my headphones are about to die, but I’ll wait on.”

When asked about the prospect of seeing white smoke this evening, Mulqueen remarked that he can remember Francis’s election in 2013.

“I was six or seven, and I remember the cheer. I didn’t understand what was going on, but it was great, so I’ll be amazed when that happens, it’ll be class.”

Joan Sheehy from Dublin was also in the Square, with an Irish flag around her shoulders.

She came to Rome “specifically for the conclave”.

“I had been on my holidays over Easter, so when I arrived back to work on Monday morning, as soon as they announced the date of the conclave, I had to tell my employer I was off again.

“I just wanted to be here, it’s been on my bucket list and I figured the next time I’d be too old, or I might not even be around, so I had to come now.”

Got speaking to Joan Sheehy from Dublin, who came just for the conclave and had to boom a few days off for the occasion. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/mQ1Mgn1H7I

— Diarmuid Pepper (@Diarmuid_9) May 8, 2025

When asked if she was here to witness history, like Mulqueen, or if she was here as a practicing Catholic, Sheehy said she is “very much a practicing Catholic and it means a lot to me to be here”.

“I’ve always wanted to see the white smoke come out of the chimney, rather than watch it on my TV at home.

“And of course, to see the new pope, it’s a blessing that I could be here.

“And it is a moment of history as well but it’s lovely to connect with like-minded people who understand the importance of this occasion.”

Sheehy had picked a great spot to witness the occasion, right up against a barrier just off the Basilica.

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“I waited until 9pm last night and you couldn’t see the smoke by the time it came out, you could only see it from the big screens.

“So I came back this morning at 8am, so I’m in it for the long haul and if I have to come back tomorrow, then I’ll do that as well.”

More from that interview with Joan. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/XA4T5WlJ8m

— Diarmuid Pepper (@Diarmuid_9) May 8, 2025

While Sheehy said she will return tomorrow if need be to see the smoke, recent history suggests she will see that famous white smoke today.

In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI was elected on the fourth ballot (the first ballot of the first afternoon of voting)

Francis meanwhile was elected on the fifth ballot (the second ballot of the first afternoon of voting).

“I’m hopeful it will happen today and I do have a couple of favourites.”

Sheehy said she wants a pope who will continue the work of Francis “around inclusivity, reaching out to the poor and to migrants and the marginalised”.

She said Francis’s 2015 encyclical, Laudato si’, subtitled “on care for our common home”, “really struck a chord with me”.

Like Mulqueen, she listed Zuppi as a favourite of hers.

She also listed Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines as one of her favoured candidates.

“It would be amazing to see the first Asian Pope, but it’s up to the Holy Spirit,” said Sheehy.

“What can I say? We can all have our favourites but really, I’m just praying that we get the right pope for the right time, for all the people, that’s really what I want.”