Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [385]
The shrine grounds dominate the little village. Across the road you’ll find the tourist office ( 094-938 8193; 10am-6pm May-Sep) and a cluster of souvenir shops. The only ATM is at the post office, at the roundabout on Main St.
Sights
The Knock Marian Shrine ( office 094-938 8100; www.knock-shrine.ie) encompasses churches and a museum in the town centre. The story that led to its development goes thus: on the evening of 21 August 1879, in drenching rain, two young Knock women were startled by a vision of Mary, Joseph, St John the Evangelist and sacrificial lamb upon an altar, freeze-framed in dazzling white light against the southern gable of the parish church. They were soon joined by 13 more villagers, all gazing at the heavenly apparition for around two hours as the daylight faded. A Church investigation confirmed it as a bona fide miracle, and a sudden rush of other Vatican-approved miracles followed as the sick and disabled claimed amazing recoveries upon visiting the spot.
Today, people of all Christian denominations and even other faiths pray at the modern chapel enclosing a scene of the apparition carved from snow-white marble, and rubbing a segment of stone from the original church mounted on the outside wall (on your right as you’re facing the scene of the apparition). Near the church is the 1970s-built, spiky-topped Basilica of Our Lady, Queen of Ireland, which can accommodate over 10,000 worshippers.
Across open grasslands from the basilica, the little Knock Museum ( 094-938 8100; adult/child/concession €4/3/3.50; 10am-6pm May-Oct, noon-4pm Nov-Apr) follows the story from the first witnesses, through the miraculous cures, the repeated Church investigations and finally to the visit of Pope John Paul II on the event’s centenary in 1979. One striking photograph shows rows of crutches left behind by miraculously cured pilgrims. It also has an interesting collection of local country life exhibits on how the village was when the apparition occurred.
There’s a free buggy service around the shrine grounds.
Sleeping & Eating
The Knock Marian Shrine office (left) maintains a list of locals who offer B&B for around €35 to €45 per person, and has advice on the shrine’s pilgrims’ hostel (single B&B rooms €40 per person), run by nuns; as well as medical-assisted accommodation for infirm visitors. For self-catering cottage rental, check www.mayorental.com.
Knock Caravan & Camping Park ( 094-938 8100; caravanpark@knock-shrine.ie; tent/van sites €11.50/17, plus per person €2.50, caravans per week €426, 2-bedroom bungalows per week €478; Apr-Oct; ) A few paces uphill to the west of the shrine (which runs it), campers have plenty of space to stretch out at this well-maintained, grassy site.
Knock House Hotel ( 094-938 8088; www.knockhousehotel.ie; Ballyhaunis Rd; s/d €96/168; bar food €5-9, restaurant mains €15-29.50; ) Knock’s only hotel is a modern construction of stone and glass housing 68 rooms and the most reliable places to grab a bite to eat year-round. It’s run also by the shrine office (about 500m to the east).
Getting There & Away
Built to serve the influx of pilgrims, Ireland West Airport Knock ( 094-936 7222; www.irelandwestairport.com), 15km north by the N17, has daily flights to Dublin (Aer Arann) and London Stansted (Ryanair). Less frequent services operate to Alicante, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool and London (Luton) with Ryanair, Birmingham and Manchester with Bmi Baby, and London (Gatwick) with Aer Lingus. A €10 development fee is payable on departure.
Bus Éireann ( 096-71800) connects Knock’s town centre with Westport (€9, one hour), Castlebar (€7, 45 minutes) and Dublin (€16, four hours) three times daily (once on Sunday).
Getting Around
A shuttle bus run by Bus Éireann links Ireland West Airport Knock with Charlestown (€4, 20 minutes), where connections can be made to Knock’s town centre.
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COUNTY SLIGO
County Sligo (Sligeach) packs as much poetry, myth and folklore into its countryside’s lush splendour as