Irish premier Micheal Martin and Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill have also congratulated the new pontiff.

Political leaders in Ireland have been ing on congratulations at the new Pope was elected in Rome.

Political leaders across the island of Ireland have reflected on the legacy of Pope Francis after attending his funeral on Saturday.

Bishop Paul Tighe also said there is ‘a little bit of national pride’ that an Irish-born man is the chief organiser while the post is vacant.

The people of Ireland have ‘appreciation’ for the life of the late pontiff, Michael D Higgins has said.

Post offices in Ireland had received queries from the public on what was the correct address and stamp to use.

Patrick and Alice Gavigan, from Leixlip, Co Kildare, are on holiday in Rome and said the experience felt surreal.

Marguerite O’Leary and her teenage daughter Ellen stood for more than five hours on Wednesday to be among the first of the public to see the late pontiff’s remains inside St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell will play a crucial role in the days and weeks that the Roman Catholic Church is without a pope.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell was asked in 2019 by Pope Francis to take on the role managing the Vatican during the ‘interregnum’ between papacies.

Father Tim Bartlett helped organise Francis’s visit to the island in 2018

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, 77, who lived in Drimnagh, Dublin, made the announcement on Easter Monday.

Issues around moving the Pro-Cathedral from north to south of the River Liffey continued to be worked upon following an announcement six months ago that Archbishop Dermot Farrell proposed a change despite opposition to the move

The events coincide with Michael D Higgins’ participation in the World Food Forum

Mary Maguire, from Letterkenny, said she got ‘such a shock’ after being asked to take part in the former pope’s requiem Mass.

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Pope Francis is to halt his public general audiences and limit participation at Christmas and other Masses amid a surge of coronavirus cases in Italy and the Vatican.

Pope Francis’ decision to forgo wearing a mask has been noticed, with some concern, by the commission of Vatican experts he appointed to help chart the Catholic Church’s path through the coronavirus pandemic.