We may not have been alive when Pope John Paul made his historical visit to Irish shores but the images of him drifting through the thronged streets in the Popemobile were the focus of the 1979 episode of Reeling in the Years.
Now, however, the historic vehicle is available to hire for hens, stags and other events as part of a new venture by businessman Paddy Dunning.
According to The Irish Times, Paddy came into ownership of the vehicle when he bought Dublin’s Wax Museum.
But passengers on the Popemobile should not expect to climb aboard a seventies throwback as Paddy has given it a €60,000 makeover and added a Mercedes chassis.
The vehicle has 15 seats including the original Pope’s chair and will cost €300 for every hour it is rented out.
Paddy revealed that the chair was kept in his mother’s house for safe keeping during the renovation.
“Nuns over from Rome were in my mother’s house to see it,” he said.
The Pope pictured in the Popemobile in 1979
The promotional pack lists a number of possible uses, including “hen and stag [nights], Debs and photo calls”.
“We will be selective about who we rent it out to,” said Paddy.
The businessman also hopes to use the vehicle to honor local heroes throughout Ireland.
“I’d like to get a sponsor on board and take it around the country as a ‘hopemobile’,” he said.
“We’d like to go around the 32 counties and build a collection of stories of local heroes, either business people or local community achievers.”
Her.ie thinks that starting the night off on the Popemobile would be a great way to launch a crazy hen night and we think Paddy can expect the big bucks to start flying in!
The renovated Popemobile will begin crawling through the streets once again tomorrow.
