A DAY OF PILGRIMAGE, A LOOK BACK

TO DAY I WENT TO ONE OF IRELAND’S HOLY PLACES OF PILGRIMAGE, THE HOLY SHRINE OF KNOCK WHERE ITS SAID THAT IN 1879 OUR HOLY MOTHER MARY APPEARED TO 15 PEOPLE ON THE GABLE WALL OF THE LOCAL STONE BUILT CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE OF MAYO .

AS A CHILD OF 6 YRS MY MOTHER AND FATHER  DECIDED IT WAS TIME I ALSO CAME ALONG, WHICH CAME AS A SURPRISE TO ME AS I WAS TOLD THE YEAR BEFORE ‘YOU ARE TOO YOUNG’, BUT THIS YEAR 1954 I COULD JOIN THE REST OF THE KELLY FAMILY AND UNDERTAKE THE GREAT ADVENTURE TO KNOCK SHRINE IN MAYO ON THE 3RD SUNDAY OF AUGUST!

THE NIGHT BEFORE, PREPARATION WOULD BEGIN. AT 7PM, AS ON ALL OTHER NIGHTS IN OUR HOUSE, DADDY GOT TO HIS KNEES AND STARTED THE FAMILY ROSARY. NO ONE LEFT THE HOUSE UNTIL AFTER THE ROSARY, BUT ON THIS SATURDAY…