Remembering Monsignor James Horan on anniversary of his death
By Tom Gillespie
AUGUST 1 marked the 33rd anniversary of the death of Monsignor James Horan, one of the greatest Mayomen of all time.
During his 23 years at Knock Shrine he undertook many ambitious projects that would have proved daunting to others.
May 5 last was the 112th anniversary of his birth in the tiny village of Tooreen in the parish of Partry.
The son of a small farmer and tradesman, Monsignor James Horan certainly left his mark on the landscape of his native county.
The success of Ireland West Airport and the Marian shrine of Knock Shrine are testament to the courage of a man who would not take no for an answer.
As a young reporter I first met the then Canon Horan in the early 1970s. Back then I covered south Mayo for The Connaught Telegraph. Plans were being formulated for the building of the basilica and I was sent to interview him.
He welcomed me into the presbytery, sat me down, opened a press over to the right of the fireplace and produced a bottle of fine Irish whiskey.
As we sipped the liquor he gave me a vague outline of what was planned for the new basilica, which would be capable of accommodating up to 10,000 people.
The Apparition Church, commemorating the appearance of the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist on Thursday, August 21, 1879, was too small to accommodate the growing numbers of pilgrims that were flocking annually to the shrine.
A formal sod-cutting by Archbishop Joseph Cunnane was being arranged and I attended it some months later.
Canon Horan had representatives of the press from all over Connaught present for the sod-turning and we were given a timeline as to when work would commence and finish on the magnificent new Basilica of Our Lady, Queen of Ireland.
It was designed in modern architecture style with concrete materials by architect Daithi Hanly, and completed, blessed and opened on July 18, 1976.
Again I attended the official opening and I recall the late Fr. Colm Kilcoyne, a neighbour of mine from St. Bridget’s Crescent, Castlebar, and a columnist with the now defunct Sunday Press, was the very capable press officer for the shrine.
The opening of the basilica was to transform Knock. The village was nothing but a ‘shanty town’ then with makeshift stalls selling religious memorabilia.
All that was to change when Canon Horan succeeded in getting Pope John Paul II to visit Knock.
On the Saturday morning when news broke of the Papal visit I rang Monsignor Horan in Knock on (094) 88100.
He told me: “I am flabbergasted. It will be the biggest thing in Irish history. Everyone thought he was not coming but when I learned the news this morning I could not believe it.
“I know he will get a tremendous reception, maybe bigger even that he received in Poland.
“The Irish people have a great regard for the Holy Father. It is great that he is coming. I really cannot express my delight enough.
“It will be the biggest thing ever to happen to Knock Shrine. It is a great honour for the Irish people who have been so loyal to the Holy See.”
Once the visit had been arranged the village of Knock had to be transformed from a shanty town to a modern day shrine.
Mayo County Council, under the county manager, the late Michael O’Malley, worked tirelessly and achieved that goal and all the agencies were mustered to ensure that almost 500,000 pilgrims who flocked to Knock on Sunday, September 30, 1979, did so in comfort and safety.
When Pope John Paul did arrive in a red helicopter at Knock Shrine, again I was covering the historic event for The Connaught Telegraph. I was close by when the Holy Father stepped from the craft and embraced Monsignor Horan and Archbishop Cunnane.
I still have the press releases issued by the Catholic Press Office of Ireland of the Pope’s homily.
The first line read: “Here I am at the goal of my journey to Ireland: the shrine of Our Lady of Knock.”
Not content with transforming Knock into the prime Marian shrine in Ireland and having Pope John Paul visit the shrine he turned his attention to the building of Horan International Airport.
Again I was privileged to cover many stories surrounding the building, opening and development of what is now Ireland West Airport, the jewel in the crown of the west and northwest of Ireland.
When the then Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, officially opened the airport on a wet, wet Friday, October 25, 1985, Fr. Colm Kilcoyne again assisted the press corps get through security and in out of the downpour.
Since then the airport has gone from strength to strength and is now part of the ever-growing infrastructure of Co. Mayo and the west of Ireland.
On the approach to the airport you have to pass the nine-foot high bronze statue of Monsignor James Horan with his hands outstretched.
When I see it, it brings me back to that day when we sat together in the presbytery in Knock village where we sipped that drop of whiskey.
In fundraising for the airport project he said he was ‘an old man in a hurry’ and many dubbed him ‘a likeable rogue’.
But he was a man with a steadfast vision of what was needed to improve the lives of the people of rural Ireland.
Knock Shrine and Knock airport (as it will always be known) are testament to the determination, guile and foresight of Jame Horan.
Monsignor Horan died while on pilgrimage to Lourdes, on Thursday, August 1, 1986, just a few months after the official opening of the airport. His remains were flown into Knock, the first funeral to arrive into the airport.
He is buried in the grounds of Knock Basilica.
It was only right that I covered that sad event too and was part of the journalistic team from The Connaught Telegraph who wrote his obituary.