Knock
| Knock Gaelic: Cnoc Mhuire | |
| County Mayo | |
|---|---|
 Knock | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | M396818 |
| Location: | 53°46’60"N, 8°55’0"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 972 (2016) |
| Post town: | Knock |
| Postcode: | F12 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Mayo |
Knock is a village in County Mayo. Its notability is derived from the Knock Shrine, at which the Virgin Mary, together with Saint Joseph and John the Evangelist, allegedly appeared on 21 August 1879. In the 20th century Knock became one of Europe's major Catholic Marian shrines, alongside Lourdes and Fatima. One and a half million pilgrims visit Knock Shrine annually. Pope John Paul II, a supporter of devotion to the Virgin Mary, visited Knock in 1979 to commemorate the centenary of the apparition.
History
The name Knock comes from the Irish An Cnoc, meaning 'The Hill', but it is now more generally known in Irish as Cnoc Mhuire, 'Hill of (the Virgin) Mary'.
The Parish of Knock covers 45 townlands. 35 of the townlands are in the Costello Barony while 10 townlands along the central western boundary of Knock Parish are in the Clanmorris Barony. Knock is one of the only Parishes in Ireland to be in two Baronies. Knock is located only five miles from the Town of Clare (one of the major market towns of the early 19th century) and is between Clare (Claremorris) and Ballyhaunis.
Monsignor James Horan
Monsignor James Horan became parish priest of Knock in 1963 and achieved three major, landmark accomplishments.
- Construction of a new basilica, Our Lady, Queen of Ireland, at Knock Shrine in 1967 that can accommodate 10,000.
- The construction of Ireland-West Airport
- A visit by Pope John Paul II to visit Knock in 1979 to commemorate the centenary of the apparition.
Monsignor Horan died on 1 August 1986.
Education
The local primary school is Knock National School, built in 1966.
Sport
The local football club is Kiltimagh Knock United F.C. established in 2002. Their ground, CMS Park, is situated on the R323 Knock/Kiltimagh Road. Though there is no other sports clubs located in the parish area, there is a considerate amount of clubs within a short distance. Aghamore GFC is the local Gaelic football club while most of the hurlers play for the Tooreen Hurling Club a few miles outside of nearby Ballyhaunis.
Transport
Ireland West Airport Knock was opened by Monsigner James Horan on 30 May 1986.
Further reading
- Peter H. Görg, Das Wunder von Knock - Die Erscheinung der Jungfrau Maria in Irland in Zeiten sozialer Not, Illertissen 2010.
- Tom Neary, I Saw Our Lady, Knock, 156 p.
- John Scally, I Was Cured at Knock - The extraordinary story of an extraordinary woman, Knock 2005, 127 p.
- Ethna Kennedy (Ed.), Judy Coyne Providence My Guide. The heroic force in the Knock Shrine story, Knock, 254 p.
- The Custodians of Knock Shrine (Ed.), Knock – Heiligtum Unserer Lieben Frau. Leitfaden für Wallfahrer, Knock.
- Fr. Berchmans Walsh OCSO, Knock Mary's International Shrine of the Lamb of God, Knock, 16 p.
- Sean Egan & Tom Neary (Ed.), Knock Parish Church - 1828-2006, Knock 2006, 24 p.
- Knock Shrine Society (Ed.), Knock Shrine Annual, Knock 1938ff.
- The Custodians of Knock Shrine (Ed.), Knock Shrine. A Pilgrim’s Guide Book, Englisch, Französisch, Deutsch, Spanisch, Italienisch, Knock, 26 p.
- Fr. Hubert OFMCap., Knock - Vision of Hope, Knock, 36 p.
- Tom Lane CM, Reflecting at Knock Before our Merciful Lamb, Knock, 127 p.
- Msgr. Michael Walsh, The Apparition at Knock - A Critical Analysis of Facts and Evidence, Knock, 1955
- Msgr. Michael Walsh, The Glory of Knock, Knock 2000, 51 p.
- Donal Flanagan (Hrsg.), The Meaning of Knock, Knock 1997.
- Mary Francis Clare Cusack, Three Visits to Knock, New York 1882.