An association representing enlisted soldiers in the army has expressed its concern that troops were exposed to disused hypodermic needles while they were safeguarding Pope Francis at the Phoenix Park.

The GAA have no fears about the state of the Croke Park pitch for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC final following the Festival of Families with Pope Francis on Saturday.

The Primate of All Ireland has said the ultimate proof of the Pope’s success in his visit to Ireland will be whether “decisive” action is taken to increase accountability over clerical child sex abuse.

The Church must accept responsibility and make reparation for its part in mother and baby homes which were a very shameful chapter of Irish history, Minister for Children Katherine Zappone told the Pope.

Francis is criticised as both too open to change and not being open enough, writes Dan Buckley

Minister Katherine Zappone has shared what she said to Pope Francis when she met him outside Áras an Uachtaran on Saturday.

What everyone really wanted though was for Francis to arrive, and when he did, a roar went up as a giant TV screen showed him stepping on board the Pope Mobile.

It is estimated that around 200,000 people turned out at the Phoenix Park yesterday for the Papal Mass.

The Pope is to study a report into the Tuam mother and baby home given to him on his Irish visit.

The Pope has asked for forgiveness for the crimes of Church figures in Ireland as he laid bare a litany of abuse and mistreatment meted out to victims.

Sometimes sorry is simply not enough.

Pope Francis has boarded his flight home to Rome after a world wind two-day visit to our shores.

A solidarity march for victims of clerical abuse will take place today to coincide with Pope Francis' Mass in Dublin's Phoenix Park.

Catholics in Northern Ireland were left disappointed when the details of the Pope’s visit revealed he was not going to travel north.

Francis flew to the west of Ireland to visit the holy shrine of Knock.

Francis said the crimes committed by members of the church had left an ‘open wound’.

A manager at the shrine explains the meaning behind the pilgrimage site.

Pope Francis has warned people of the threat social media poses to relationships.

Prominent campaigner Colm O'Gorman has said the Pope's comments on the failure of the church to tackle clerical abuse in Ireland was a "shameful deflection of responsibility".

Pope Francis has begun his historic two-day visit to Ireland.

Survivors of clerical sex abuse and their supporters have gathered outside Dublin Castle where Pope Francis has been meeting politicians and other representatives of civil society.

As Pope Francis arrives in Ireland, capture all the sights and sounds of the visit here.

Why is the Pope visiting Ireland?

Bishop of Waterford and Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan has said scripture teaches that “the majority is always wrong”.

Almost 40 years since the last papal visit to Ireland, Francis arrives to a country that has changed utterly. What place for the Catholic Church now, asks TP O’Mahony.

Things are far from perfect in Ireland when it comes to issues of child protection, but we have made a lot of strides in the right direction, writes Daniel McConnell.

A clerical abuse survivor has said that every "rotten apple" in the Catholic Church should be removed.

Can we get an amen?

The Bishop of Waterford Alphonsus Cullinan has spoken out about child abuse and LGBT+ members within the Catholic Church ahead of the arrival of Pope Francis tomorrow.

A Catholic cardinal has said full disclosure of all documents relating to credible allegations of abuse against priests was the only way to address victims’ rights.

Growing up in the grim uncertainties of 1980s Belfast, football was the great escape for young Philip Mulryne.

Irish author, Michael Harding, has revealed he never officially left the priesthood — even though he has been married for 25 years.

Latest: The Taoiseach has said Pope Francis must follow up his words with actions.

The spiritual leader came, saw, and conquered the hearts and minds of the Irish people in 1979, writes Dan Buckley.

Pope Francis could be set to experience some of that classic Irish weather this weekend as he arrives on our shores for the World Meeting of Families.

Day Two of the World Meeting of Families gets underway at the RDS in Dublin today.

Latest: The Archbishop of Dublin has said the number of children abused by priests in Ireland is “immense” and called for an easier judicial system for victims giving evidence in court.

A serving member of the Defence Force has spoken out about pay parity for overtime duties ahead of Pope's visit.

The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, has said that the Pope needs to do more than apologise for the role of the Church "in compounding the suffering of so many" who were sexually abused by clergy while in its care.

A second high-ranking member of the Catholic Church will not be attending the upcoming World Meeting of Families in Ireland.

She also told Brendan O'Connor that she made a formal complaint to the Pope about being banned from speaking in the Vatican in March.

A homeless advocacy group says it hopes Pope Francis uses his global clout to force the Government to tackle the crisis.

While I welcome the Pope to Ireland, he is also the head of the Vatican, the bizarre state created in a 1929 pact with Mussolini.

Catholic bishops have made no response to criticisms by the former head of the Church’s child safety watchdog that Pope Francis’ record on child protection “has been a dismal failure”.