knock book a/w

A guide to Knock Museum
A guide to Knock Museum
Knock Museum, Knock Shrine, Co. Mayo, Ireland
tel. 00353 (0)94 9388100 / 00353 (0)94 9375034
website: www.knock-shrine.ie
e-mail: [email protected]
ISBN – 10
ISBN – 13
0951580736
9780951580738
First published in 2008 by the Custodians of Knock Shrine,
Co. Mayo, Ireland
© 2008
Publication funded by the Department of Arts, Sport & Tourism
and Knock Shrine
Written and researched by James Campbell & Grace Mulqueen,
Knock Museum
Graphic Design: Wendy Williams Design
Photographic credits: Wynne Photographic Collection,
Philip Strattford Photography, Knock Shrine Archival Collection,
Knock Shrine Society, Liam Lyons Photography,
The Irish Press,
Printed by Knock Printing Supplies
All rights reserved
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of
trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated
without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover
other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition
including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or any information or retrieval system,
without the prior permission of the publisher in writing.
Contents
Knock – The Apparition & Pilgrimage
Knock Museum
Why people come to Knock
Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa
Pilgrimage in Ireland
Knock Holy Water
Children of Mary
Pilgrimage to Knock
Monsignor Horan
Knock Airport Ballad
Knock Shrine Society
Judy & Liam Coyne
The day of the Apparition
Commissions of Enquiry
Original witness testimony
Knock becomes a place of healing
Archdeacon Cavanagh
Memories of Knock
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
24
25
26
Knock – Life since 1879
Life changes but faith is constant
The thatched house
The Forge
27
28
30
KNOCK MUSEUM captures the
compelling story of the Knock
Apparition of 1879 and tells of fifteen
ordinary people who witnessed an
extraordinary event.
Archdeacon Cavanagh, Judy Coyne and
Monsignor Horan, key people in the
development of Knock, are profiled.
Visitors can read original letters handwritten by people cured at Knock and can
listen to pilgrims sharing stories and
memories of Knock.
Why people come to Knock
Today pilgrims from all over the world make
their way to Knock Shrine. Some
deliberately set out to make a pilgrimage,
others find themselves drawn here without
knowing why.
An Apparition in August 1879 transformed
Knock, an ordinary village in Co. Mayo,
into a sacred Shrine. On hearing of the
Apparition, people from all over Ireland
began to come to Knock on pilgrimage.
The first pilgrims reflected the deep
devotion of Irish people to the Blessed
Virgin. Many prayed for an end to
famine and poverty, others came in search
of cures.
8
‘People are searching for ways to reach out to
God and to connect with him. Knock Shrine
can facilitate people in that search and offers
many opportunities for worship and prayer, for
stillness and peace in our souls – all so
necessary in our busy and sometimes hectic
world’.
MONSIGNOR JOSEPH QUINN
P.P. Knock Parish and Adm. Knock Shrine
POPE JOHN PAUL II
(1920‒2005)
MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA
(1910‒1997)
In 1979, Pope John Paul II came on
pilgrimage to Knock Shrine to
commemorate the centenary of the
Apparition.
In June 1993, Mother Teresa came on
pilgrimage to Knock Shrine.
His opening words at Knock were:
‘Jesus came to give us the good news that God
loves us, and that he wants us to love one
another as he loves each one of us’.
‘Here I am at the goal of my journey to
Ireland: the Shrine of Our Lady at Knock...
I am here then as a pilgrim, a sign of the
pilgrim church throughout
the world…’
In her Basilica address to the sick, she said:
More than fifty thousand pilgrims gathered at
Knock on that day.
Almost half a million pilgrims gathered at
Knock on that day.
far left: Pope John Paul II is
welcomed to Knock by
Monsignor Horan and
Archbishop Cunnane,
30 September 1979
left: Pilgrims gathered at
Knock Shrine to hear
Mother Teresa
9
Pilgrimage in Ireland
Even before Christianity came to Ireland,
pilgrimage was a long-standing custom.
In the past every community had a place,
often a holy well, where people would come
together on a special day to pray.This custom
was called a pattern, a term that comes from
the word ‘patron’. By gathering like this,
people would place themselves under
the protection of a particular
patron or saint.
As part of the pattern, pilgrims
circled the site reciting prayers.This
custom of moving in circles became
known as ‘doing the rounds’.When
Christianity came to Ireland, this custom
became part of Christian religious practice.
As pilgrims came to Knock, the main
devotional exercise was to circle the parish
church in rounds saying the rosary.
This practice continues today.
Communion cutters and
tongs used in Knock Church
10
Knock Holy Water
‘I always get Holy Water when I
go to Knock… It gives protection.’
KNOCK PILGRIM
Early pilgrims believed that water or earth
from a holy site had healing powers. In the
early days of Knock Shrine, water blessed
there and mortar from the Apparition Gable
were popular relics.
Today’s pilgrims continue to value Knock
Holy Water and cures are still attributed to its
use. Few leave Knock without it.
Pilgrims fill containers with
Knock Holy Water (right)
and touch original stone at
Apparition Gable (below),
c.1975
Children of Mary
The Children of Mary Sodality was one of the
largest lay religious organisations in the world
and the most prominent in the convent schools
of Ireland in the nineteenth century.
Features of the sodality included life-long
consecration to Our Lady, weekly meetings,
general communions, annual retreats, daily mass
and visits to the sick.
top: Child of Mary Medal,
1904
left: Children of Mary in
Rosary Procession at Knock
Shrine, c.1970
right: Banner presented by
first organised pilgrimage,
1880 (detail)
12
Pilgrimage to Knock
1880
As news of the Apparition spread, pilgrims
converged on Knock from all parts of
Ireland.The first organised pilgrimage came
from Limerick in March 1880 and consisted
of fifty members of the Confraternity of the
Holy Family.They travelled by train to Tuam
and onwards to Knock in nine horse-drawn
side-cars.
1940–1945
Despite wartime hardships, pilgrims
continued to come. Buses and trains to
Knock were discontinued until 1948 and
many pilgrims walked and cycled to
Knock. Others came on horseback
or made use of lorries, bread vans,
carts and traps.
left: Early Knock medal
right: Vestments made by
the Benedictine Nuns of
Kylemore Abbey and worn
at the National Pilgrimage
of Thanksgiving at Knock
Shrine, Sunday 19 August
1945
14
Pilgrimage to Knock
1947
The Knock Shrine Rosary Crusade opened
in April 1947 and thousands of pilgrims
joined the crusade in the years that followed.
1949
The first organised pilgrimage from the
United States of America was led by the
Carmelite Fathers.
1950
The first ‘Radio Train’, specially adapted to
accommodate stretchers and fitted with a
public address system for reciting prayers,
carried pilgrims from Dublin.
1954
Thousands of pilgrims came to Knock to
celebrate the Marian Year. One of the main
pilgrimages was Fr. Peyton’s Rosary Rally in
May. Other large pilgrimages that year were
the National Pioneer Total Abstinence
Association,Vincentian Pilgrimage, National
Children’s Pilgrimage, Dominican Pilgrimage
and Irish Army Pilgrimage.
1962
In October an all-night vigil was held for the
success of Vatican II.The rules of silence, no
food or drink (only water) and no smoking
were observed.
1975
For the Derry diocesan pilgrimage in June,
sixteen thousand pilgrims came from all
forty-eight parishes. It was the largest
pilgrimage of that year.
1977
The first National Public Novena in honour
of Our Lady of Knock took place from the
14‒22 August. It continues in unbroken
sequence to this day.
Today, the pilgrimage season spans annually
from April to October and organised
pilgrimages come from various parts of
Ireland and overseas.The programme of
devotions begins with Anointing of the Sick,
concelebrated Mass followed by Solemn
Blessing of the Sick, Benediction of the
Blessed Sacrament and Rosary Procession.
Rosary Procession at
Knock Shrine, 2004
16
Monsignor Horan (1911–1986)
Often referred to as the ‘Builder of Knock’
and perhaps best known for the building of
Knock Airport, Monsignor Horan was a
man of vision, courage and unwavering
determination. He came to Knock Parish in
1963 as curate and in 1967 was appointed
parish priest.
Under his direction, significant
improvements were made to facilities and
amenities at Knock for pilgrims and
parishioners.Two of his most ambitious
projects were the building of Knock Basilica
18
completed in 1976 and the building of
Knock Airport in 1985.
Monsignor Horan died suddenly in August
1986 while on pilgrimage in Lourdes and
his coffin was the first to be flown into
Knock Airport. He is buried near the
Basilica in the Shrine grounds.
He was succeeded by Monsignor Dominick
Grealy until 2002 and by Monsignor Joseph
Quinn to the present.
Monsignor Horan on newly
completed runway at Knock
Airport, 1985
Knock
Airport
Ballad
WORDS
Louis Gunnigan
Oh come here now ye lads a tale I do have
An election was nigh Garrett’s hopes they were high
And the telling of it won’t take long
We were promised the stars, moon and sun,
Some say it’s the show of all County Mayo
And a complex for sport, beside this airport
And the subject of many a song
Where people could play jump and run.
It has critics galore and they’d make your head sore
Hoping 737’s from out of the heavens
With the way that they’re all going on
Would fly in the votes that were lost
But for all their reports, a brand new airport
Into Mayo he’d pour some 10 million more
Is something we’ll have from now on.
To win back the seat at all cost.
A political plan that had come to hand
But to Garrett’s dismay Barry Desmond did say
Was the start of it all as you’ll see
It is time that this plan was laid low
One party had two, the other had one,
Money is expensive stuff and we haven’t enough
And they both wanted two out of three,
To throw in a bog in Mayo
The priest got his chance, he made them all dance
And you’ve heard of the fog that’s found in the bog
And caught them all on the rebound
And the pilot’s they won’t see their way
They all did agree to come up with the fee
And beside that you see we must pay C.I.E.
Connaught Regional Airport was sound.
To provide an electric railway.
Well the diggers and trucks,
But a change in the Dáil saw the Government fall
they dug through the muck
And Charlie went back once again
To prepare for this massive foundation
And what did he do but to sign contract 2
They went to the rock for the airport at Knock
And the plan went ahead once again
That soon was the news of the nation
With dwindling support for our newest airport
The tall Padraig Flynn and Frank Harrington’s men
For many did say it was wrong
Had the countryside all changed and turned
All of Connaught stood tight and said they would fight
But the credit must go as everyone knows
If the government now changed its’ song.
COLLECTOR
Joe Byrne, Achadh Mór,
Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo
SERIES
Songs of Past & People II
To our own famous Monsignor Horan.
So to finally state conversation of late
Well the Ministers came their Mercedes did gleam
Says the completion is now near at hand
As they drove their way up through the bog
The runway complete all of six thousand feet
To cut with a spade that was specially made
Will take planes from far distant lands.
The first ceremonial sod.
Bright burning turf fires will be in Barr na Laidhre
The future looked bright on that great airport site
To greet all those passengers home
With polling day then near at hand.
And who is to say but that soon one fine day
They said vote the right way and give us the say
The Pope just might fly in from Rome.
And the planes they will soon start to land.
19
Knock Shrine Society
The Stewards role is to welcome pilgrims to
the Shrine by guiding and assisting them
during ceremonies and processions.The
Handmaids care for the elderly and people
with disabilities and assist staff in various
Shrine offices.
The Knock Shrine Society was established in
1935 to promote the cause of Knock Shrine.
The Society consists of lay people from all
walks of life, Stewards, Handmaids and
Promoters who give freely of their time and
service in honour of Our Lady and the
greater glory of God.
20
The Handmaids’ white uniform has an
embroidered rosary entwining the letters
CM meaning in Irish ‘Cumhal Mhuire’,
handmaid of Mary.The Stewards are known
as ‘Giolla Mhuire’, servants of Mary and their
uniform includes a green or yellow sash and
a tie with an emblem of Knock Basilica.
Today there are approximately 1200
registered members of the Knock Shrine
Society and since 1935, it has played a major
role in the development and promotion of
Knock Shrine.
left: Stewards in Rosary
Procession at Knock, c.1970
below: Handmaids and
Stewards gather at Knock
for Day of Recollection,
21 October 1984
Judy and Liam Coyne: Founders of the Knock Shrine Society
In August 1935, Judy and Liam Coyne
founded the Knock Shrine Society.This
began the Coynes’ involvement with Knock
Shrine which lasted for twenty-five years in
Liam’s case and seventy-four in Judy’s. In
1938 they commenced publication of the
Knock Shrine Annual to record yearly events
at the Shrine – this book continues to be
published to this day.
Liam was involved in many aspects of the
Shrine’s work including stewarding,
correspondence, promotion and organisation
of pilgrimages. He was the author of several
books including ‘Cnoc Mhuire in Picture
and Story’ and ‘Venerable Archdeacon
Cavanagh’.
Judy organised the running of St. Joseph’s
Rest House in the Shrine grounds for over
forty years. During her seventy-four year
involvement with Knock, she established
various Apostolates including the Dedicated
Handmaids, the International Blessed
Sacrament Guild and the Rosary Crusade.
She received many honours in her lifetime
and was the first woman to be made Papal
Knight ‘Dame Commander of the Order of
St. Sylvester’ in 1997.
Judy & Liam Coyne set out
for honeymoon in Paris,
11 February 1924
Liam died in September 1953 and Judy in
April 2002.They are buried side by side in
the Old Cemetery in Knock.
21
The day of the Apparition
Once her work was done Mary
McLoughlin, housekeeper to the parish
priest, visited the Byrne family who lived in
a thatched house near the church.
Around eight o’clock she began to make
her way home accompanied by Mary, eldest
daughter of Mrs. Byrne. As they approached
the church Mary Byrne cried out, “Look at
the beautiful figures”. Moving closer the
two women saw a radiant figure and Mary
Byrne exclaimed, “It is the Blessed Virgin”.
On either side of her stood St. Joseph and
St. John the Evangelist and on the right was
an altar. On this altar stood a lamb
surrounded by angels and behind it a large
cross.
Mary Byrne ran home to tell her family of
the wonderful sight. Her mother Margaret,
brother Dominick, sister Margaret and
cousin Catherine Murray all went out.They
too saw the Apparition.
Mary then hurried to tell the neighbours
living near the church. Soon a small crowd
had gathered at the gable. As they gazed at
the Apparition they recited the rosary and
other prayers.The vision lasted for about
two hours from dusk to nightfall. Rain
saturated the witnesses, however, not a drop
fell either on the gable wall or onto the
vision.
left: Door lock from
Knock Church
22
Commissions of Enquiry
On 8 October 1879, Archbishop MacHale of
Tuam set up a Commission of Enquiry to
investigate the Apparition.The findings of
the Commission were submitted to the
Archbishop and concluded that “the testimony
of the witnesses, taken as a whole, was trustworthy
and satisfactory”.
In 1936 a second Commission of Enquiry
was established by Most Rev. Dr. Gilmartin,
Archbishop of Tuam.The two surviving
witnesses living in Ireland, Mary O’ Connell
(nee Byrne) and Patrick Byrne were
examined. A special tribunal was set up by
the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal
Hayes, to examine John Curry, witness, who
was residing there.
Mary O’Connell ended her sworn
statement with the words,
“I am clear about everything I have said and I
make this statement knowing I am going before
my God.”
She died later that year.
Mary O’Connell (nee Byrne)
in 1935
23
Original hand-written
testimony of Judy Campbell
Knock becomes a place of healing
Since 1879 numerous cures and favours have
been attributed to Our Lady of Knock.
In the early years, they were mainly physical
cures of the body while today’s favours tend
to be healing of mind and spirit.
26
These favours are recorded each year in the
Knock Shrine Annual.
Archdeacon Cavanagh
Archdeacon Cavanagh was parish priest of
Knock at the time of the Apparition until his
death in 1897. He was known to practice
special devotion to Our Lady and in the
early days of Knock Shrine he worked
tirelessly to serve the ever-growing number
of pilgrims.
In response to the large number of cures that
were being reported to him on a daily basis,
in October 1879 Archdeacon Cavanagh
began compiling a Diary of Cures. By
October 1880 he had recorded over
six hundred cures. People
suffering ailments such as
blindness, deafness, ulcers,
fractures, malignant tumours
and lameness all reported cures.
left: Knock Apparition
Gable, 1880
© WYNNE PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION
right: Original letter
reporting a cure at Knock,
May 1881
far right: Archdeacon
Cavanagh,
P.P. Knock 1867–1897
27
Memories of Knock
Knock Museum collects personal stories
from pilgrims about their experiences and
memories of Knock. Here are some
extracts from this collection:
“Usually when I come to the West of Ireland I
like to come over and spend a day in Knock
because Knock has a special place in my heart and
I suppose the older I get the greater my
appreciation of Knock and what happened in
Knock.”
PILGRIM , CO. DUBLIN
“My first trip to Knock was with my Mammy in
1947. It was the early days of the diesel train from
Listowel. She was a great believer in Our Blessed
Lady and all during the month of May she would
have us all in for this novena with a statue and at
the end of it all it would be ‘Our Lady of Knock
pray for us’. It was one of the best days of my life
that trip to Knock.”
PILGRIM , CO. KERRY
28
“I first came to Knock in 1953 as a school girl
aged fourteen as part of the Pioneer Association.
We got off the busses and walked down the fields
with thousands of other people and we had our
banner.”
PILGRIM , CO. TIPPERARY
“I was in Knock eighteen years ago on my
honeymoon and have come back now with my six
kids to show them.”
PILGRIM , CO. CARLOW
“My first visit to Knock was seventy-eight years
ago in the month of August. A school friend and I
decided to cycle to Knock from Roscommon.We
were at the church before we realised because there
was no electricity.We went inside and at that time
the rosary was going on continually with talks in
between and then silence and meditation and then
the rosary would start up again and that took up
the greatest part of the night.”
PILGRIM , CO. ROSCOMMON
Life changes but faith is constant
Since 1879 almost every aspect of life in
Ireland has changed and continues to change.
These objects reflect some of those changes.
1.
1. Knock Pendant
Donated by pilgrim
to Knock
2.
2. Knock souvenir rosary
beads and case
Donated by pilgrim from
Macroom, Co. Cork
3. Lace Centrepiece
Handmade by Annie
Mary Morley (1911–2008)
Magheramore, Knock
6.
3.
4. Delph Jug
Made by Honor Higgins
Donated by her daughter
Nora Forde (1914–2005)
Bohauns, Knock,
handmaid at Knock
Shrine for fifty-five years
5. Knock mini views
Donated by pilgrim from
Limerick city in memory
of her father
6. Knock locket
Purchased in Knock
c. 1957 by pilgrim from
Magherafelt, Co. Derry
5.
4.
29
The witnesses lived in houses like this
In 1879, the witnesses to the Knock
Apparition would have lived in houses like
the one shown opposite, comprising a
kitchen and one or two bedrooms.The open
fire, where turf was burned, was the only
source of heat as well as the place where
food was cooked.
Most people survived on the land and its
produce. Around Knock the main crops
grown were potatoes and oats. Most people
had a cow or two, a few pigs and chickens.
In the years following the Apparition some
of the witnesses emigrated. Others married
locally and brought up families. Some died
young and others would tell the story of that
day into ripe old age.
What they saw on that wet August evening
changed their lives – and the village of
Knock – forever.
The fifteen witnesses to the Knock
Apparition were ordinary people.
Patrick Walsh, witness, was gathering up tools
after a day’s haymaking
Patrick Hill, witness, was drawing turf home
from the bog
Mary McLoughlin, witness, was walking
home from a visit with Mrs. Byrne
Margaret Byrne, witness, was going to lock
the church
above: Byrne’s house,
known as ‘The Old Thatch’,
where five of the witnesses
lived
opposite: Interior of
thatched house,
Knock Museum
31
The Forge
At the forge and elsewhere, news of the
Knock Apparition spread.
At the time of the Apparition, Knock parish
had three forges.This forge is a
reconstruction of Tom Mullen’s Forge,
Cloonbulbin, Bekan a neighbouring parish
to Knock.Tom Mullen (1916–2002) was
third generation blacksmith, following in the
footsteps of his father, Michael and
grandfather,Thomas known locally as
‘Old Tom’.
Blacksmiths were unique among craftsmen,
as well as making tools for other crafts they
also made most of their own.The raw
material they used was wrought iron which
they obtained from a local merchant.
In the case of Tom Mullen,Waldron’s of
Ballyhaunis was his local supplier. New iron
was used for making larger items such as
gates while scraps of old iron were reshaped and re-used for repairs and
smaller jobs.
Receipt from Waldron’s of
Ballyhaunis, 1913
opposite: Interior of forge,
Knock Museum
32