How come the bells on catholic churches toll about 20 odd times in groups of

[MtoRsigningupiseasy]

three at six PM in Ireland? What does that signify? First of all I heard it on a Radio station and I thought itwas going to toll 6 times to denote that it was 6 o'clock before the news came on, but it tolled about 21 times in the end and then later on, in the town I was staying the church their tolled bells in the same groups of three.

Is there a pattern or intresting reason behind this?

(curious atheist, no hatespeech thank you)
Great answers, thank you
A great link too, look what I just found
"The Irish national broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann broadcasts the angelus bells at noon and 6:00 pm every day on the national radio station RTÉ Radio 1 and at 6:00 pm on the national television station RTÉ One. This consists of a bell ringing for the duration of one minute and is accompanied by images of people pausing in contemplation (filmed in North Kildare) for the television version. The Foggy Dew, an Irish rebel ballad commemorating the Easter Rising, contains the line "the Angelus bell o'er the Liffey swell rang out through the foggy dew".

 

[Jackal]

They're calling on people to pray "The Angelus". It's supposed to be done at six A.M., 12 Noon, and six P.M., but, of course, you wouldn't know that.

 

[FlybyNight1]

Is that all? I live directly opposite a catholic church and believe me it seems so much more!! I'm also a catholic(lapsed) and I couldn't tell you but I will say I can time myself by them. The death one only tolls once an then some time lapses and it goes again once, it gives me the heebie jeebies sometimes! There is a protestant church directly to the left of me!! Do you think someone is trying to tell me something? LOL.

"THE BELLS, THE BELLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[katzy]

Any time there are groupings of three signify the holy trinity The Father ,Son and Holy Spirit. Why the 20 times is a mystery though. Maybe its broken and the bell got carried away.