Knock Airport - Pilgrim Progress

Its hard to fathom now that someone would build an airport whose primary aim would be to lure pilgrims to a religious shrine. In fact, the notion of an international airport at Knock was understandably dismissed by most in the disaster zone that was Ireland's economy in the early '80s, as a completely hare-brained idea.

But Monsignor James Horan persevered with his plan to build an airport on what was described as a "foggy, boggy hill" and in 1986 it officially opened.

Today, managing director Joe Gilmore says between 10pc and 15pc of inbound passenger traffic to the airport at Knock – or Ireland West Airport, Knock, to give it its fuller moniker – say they visit the local shrine when they make a trip here. That's up to 10,000 people a year. These days, more pilgrims leave the airport destined for shines in other sunnier climes than come to Knock though.

"Every year between 10,000 and 20,000 outbound pilgrims travel to places like Fatima and Medjugorie," says Gilmore. "We don't get dedicated inbound charters for the shrine."

And in the more than quarter of a century since the airport opened, things have changed enormously. The economy has boomed and bombed, and the aviation industry has been utterly transformed.

Run as a trust, it seems a miracle in itself that Knock's airport ever managed to survive. But in 2012, it had its busiest year ever, catering for 685,000 passengers. This year, the number will be in and around the same. It serves 28 destinations around Europe.

It made a loss last year of €627,000 before government subvention, on turnover of €14m. But Gilmore – who has a degree in physics – has run the numbers and reckons the airport can eventually stand on its own feet without a financial crutch.

He and his management team have just submitted a study on the airport's future to the Government as part of the latter's plan, announced this week last year, to develop a national aviation policy. That plan is due to be unveiled by the Government next year.

"The report presents a couple of options to the Government on the future of regional airports, but in particular the options for this airport," according to Gilmore. "The process has confirmed and succeeded in convincing the Department of Transport that regional airports have an important role to play and that Knock has a critical role to play in terms of being an economic engine for the region."

John Mulligan
Irish Independent

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