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    • The AirportIreland West Airport Knock (formerly known as Knock Airport) is one of the great against-the-odds success stories of modern Ireland. The idea of an airport for the Knock region was mooted as early as 1935, and Father James Horan was part of a delegation from the Knock Development Association which, during the 1960s, sought in vain an airstrip to cater for pilgrims. When the project got going in the wake of Pope John Paul II‘s visit to Knock in 1979, it was much derided, called a ‘white elephant’ and was the subject of much political controversy. The proposal got government backing in 1980, and the first sod was cut by Minister for Transport Albert Reynolds the following year, but many obstacles had to be overcome before the first commercial flights took off in 1985. The airport was officially opened in May 1986, months before Monsignor Horan, the airport’s driving force, died in Lourdes. Within two years, annual passengers numbers had exceeded 100,000, and that figure had doubled by the turn of the century. The first snow and ski charters took off from the airport in 2004, and the airport reached the milestone of over half a million annual passengers the…
    • Mgr James HoranThe driving force behind the establishment of the airport, James Horan (1911-1986) was born in Tooreen, in the parish of Partry, in west County Mayo, the son of a farmer and tradesman. He was the eldest of seven children – four girls and three boys. He attended primary school in Partry and won a scholarship to St Jarlath’s Diocesan College in Tuam, County Galway. In 1929, he went to Maynooth College to train for the priesthood, and was ordained in 1936. He spent three years in Glasgow, in the parish of Dumbarton, and in 1939, he returned home to become Chaplain to the Franciscan monastery in Ballyglunin, in the Archdiocese of Tuam. After only two months there, he was transferred to Tiernea in the parish of Carraroe in County Galway, where he became fluent in the Irish language. In 1944 he returned to his native Mayo, working as a curate in Tooreen in the parish of Aghamore. He was responsible for the introduction of electricity to the area, and was probably best known at that time as the promoter of Tooreen Hall. After 14 years in Tooreen, Fr Horan left in July 1959 to go to his next parish, Cloonfad.…
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Author Archives admin

Wing and a Prayer on American TV

Posted on November 23rd, 2011 by admin
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On a Wing and a Prayer The Musical DVD is currently being featured on CatholicTV in America. Check it out….Read More

Mayo Roscommon Hospice

Posted on May 19th, 2011 by admin
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Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his wife Fionnuala were given a rousing reception when they attended On a Wing and a…Read More

Enda meets cast

Posted on May 19th, 2011 by admin
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Monsignor Horan to make stage come-back

Posted on November 2nd, 2010 by admin
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The story of how a west of Ireland priest convinced the Irish government to build an airport in the middle…Read More

Joe Kennedy Patron-in-Chief On A Wing and a Prayer

Posted on November 1st, 2010 by admin
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Pictured are Ollie Rouse who plays the role of the older Monsignor Horan in the musical, Mayo Person of the…Read More

Song-writing legend visits rehearsals

Posted on October 28th, 2010 by admin
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Legendary Nashville-based songwriter Rory Bourke was amazed to see so many members of the cast assembled on the night of…Read More

Stage & Production

Posted on October 18th, 2010 by admin
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Musicians

Posted on October 18th, 2010 by admin
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Cast

Posted on October 18th, 2010 by admin
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Cast Pictures by Damien Slater

Tommy Marren- Director

Posted on October 18th, 2010 by admin
 in Castlebar Production 2010, News, Production & Cast No comments yet.

Tommy Marren hails from the parish of Tourlestrane in Co. Sligo and is one of the best-known voices on local…Read More

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  • Home
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    • Pic Memories Knock Airport
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