Now a low-cost carrier FlyGlobespan launched its first-ever nonstop
Scheduled air service from New York¹s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Ireland
West Airport Knock. I was fortunate to be on this landmark transatlantic flight that marks the first time that New York area residents will be able to travel direct on scheduled flights to Ireland Airport West Knock and experience the awesome historic and Western Ireland.
Yes, FlyGlobespan is the name of this low-cost award- winning carrier with is home base in Scotland and is actually one of the largest airlines in Great Britain. It will have three flights weekly from JFK, offering travelers the choice of Economy services, Economy-Premium Service Upgrade and Business Service with fares starting at $259, exclusive of tax.
Before direct service to Ireland West Airport Knock, (located about 10 miles away from the village of Knock on the Charlestown Road)) visitors from New York airports flew direct into Dublin and Shannon airports, at times missing the chance to experience the sites and towns of Western and Northwestern Ireland. The story of the airport and its charismatic founder Monsignor James Horan, the visit of Pope John Paul II are very meaningful to the heart of the community and of course, as is, the world-famous shrine of miracles at the small village of acclaimed Knock in East Mayo.
Knock is midway between Galway and Sligo and is best known for its religious associations, particularly the Marian Shrine and Basilica. Additionally it has an excellent museum, the Knock Folk Museum that documents the story of the Knock Apparition of 1879 and places it in the context of life in that era. The name Knock comes from the Irish word Œcnoc¹ which translates to English as Œhill¹. It is also Ireland¹s most visited town with pilgrims and visitors. Over one and a half million pilgrims visit this pilgrimage each year.
The story of the Knock Apparition took place on a wet Thursday evening on the 21st of August 1879 at about 8 o¹clock. I was told that ³Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared in a blaze of Heavenly light at the south gable of St. John the Baptist. Behind them there was a plain altar, a cross, a lamb and adoring angels. The apparition was seen by 15 people, aged from six years to seventy-five, including men, women, teenagers and children.
The witnesses watched the apparition in pouring rain for fully two hours, reciting the rosary. Although the witnesses standing before the gable were drenched, no rain fell in the direction of the gable. They felt the ground carefully with their hands and it was perfectly dry, as was the gable itself.
A commission was formed to investigate of the apparition within six weeks of the event. The 15 witnesses testified, resulting in the Commission report that the evidence was ³trustworthy and satisfactory². Immediately after the story was published, pilgrims from all over the country and overseas seeking cures flocked to Knock, creating the Irish Lourdes. A second commission in 1936, with some of the original witnesses from 1879 testifying, reaffirmed the evidence of the miracle as ³trustworthy and upright².
Today the site is filled with abandoned crutches and wheel chairs. There is also an exquisite Golden Rose, Pope John Paul II¹s personal gift to the Shrine on his visit in 1979.
I experienced my own small miracle. I came to Ireland Airport West Knock with the inaugural flight of FlyGlobespan¹s first transatlantic flight. At the Basilica, I was waiting with some of my fellow travelers for some others who were purchasing souvenir bottles of Holy Water before boarding the coach for our next destination. We were surrounded by people asking for Miracle Mass Program times.
Seeing the word ³Miracle², I recalled that my late husband had written a book with a Catholic Priest, Father Frederic Gehring, ³Child of Miracles².
I heard a woman say that she was Father Gehring¹s secretary and that the co-author was Marty Abramson, my husband. She recalled that the book had been made into a movie and was published in many editions. She was Patricia Preston of Red Hook, New York and a former student of St. John¹s University where Father Fred was the Chaplain.
I had to fly to Knock to meet this lovely lady at a site for miraculous happenings and, indeed, that was one for me.
Copyright by Marcia Abramson
E-mail: HYPERLINK ³mailto:mascribe@verizon.net² mascribe@verizon.net
