Ireland West Airport Knock marks 40 years today since its first flight from Dublin landed on 25 October 1985, after a famous campaign by Monsignor James Horan to bring into an existence an airport which would boost Mayo and the west of Ireland.
Despite the Monsignor’s campaign, no inbound pilgrimage flights services were launched at the airport, which largely remains an outbound facility for sun holidays and routes to England from the Mayo region.
Horan led the campaign from 1979 after Pope John Paul II’s visit for the Knock apparitions centenary organising church grounds refurbishment and basilica construction. Despite criticism of the foggy boggy site in Barnacuige near Charlestown, Taoiseach Charles Haughey approved funding with official opening in May 1986 after construction started in 1981.
Horan faced funding cuts post-1982 election but secured IR£10m completing the airport before his death on 1 August 1986 during a pilgrimage. His remains were flown into Knock.
Ryanair’s first scheduled flight arrived on 16 December 1986 from London as the Spirit of Monsignor Horan HS-748 marking the initial direct west Ireland link.
Journalist Frank McNally shared “On the subject of delays, by the way, a report on the Western People’s website as I write this refers to Knock airport’s 40th anniversary falling “in 2026”. But that is not a contradiction of the 1985 story, it turns out.” Terry Reilly shared “to recount the decades since the birth of Knock Airport”
