Direct flights from Prestwick to Knock

October 31 | comments icon 0 COMMENTS print icon print

Direct flights from Prestwick to Knock

Pilgrims heading to Knock Shrine will soon be able to fly direct from the west coast of Scotland

Ryanair has just announced plans to operate three new services from Ireland West Airport in County Mayo, including flights via Prestwick.

Michael Cawley, the airline’s deputy chief executive, said the additional services were a direct response to the Government’s decision to reduce the travel tax to zero in the budget.

At a press conference at the airport, Mr Crawley added the airline would bring at least one million extra passengers into Ireland next year, and an extra 80,000 to Ireland West Airport.

On August 21, 1879, Our Lady, St Joseph and St John the Evangelist appeared at the south gable of the church at Knock, County Mayo (above). Beside them and a little to their left was an altar with a cross and the figure of a lamb, around which angels hovered.

There were 15 official witnesses to the apparition. Commissions of Enquiry, in 1879 and 1936, accepted their testimony. Today Knock is an internationally recognised Marian shrine.

Ryanair’s other new routes from Ireland West Airport will be services to Eindhoven in Holland, Kaunas in Lithuania.