Susan Boyle is pictured with Margaret and Michael Jennings on her visit to Knock.
SuBo pays surprise visit to Rookfield
“It was hard to believe that here was Susan Boyle in Rookfield standing beside me and the rick of turf”
Michael Commins
IMAGINE the surprise when Margaret Jennings from Rookfield, Knock answered a knock on her door last week and found Susan Boyle standing outside! The Scottish lady who sang her way into the hearts of millions through her stirring performances on the Britain‘s Got Talent series two years ago was on a private visit to one of her favourite Marian Shrines.
Taxi driver Michael Jennings, son of Margaret, had earlier in the day brought Susan and a friend to Galway for a few hours shopping. He was bringing them back from Galway to Knock House Hotel when he suggested that his mother would love to meet Susan.
“She was absolutely lovely and chatted about many things on the way to and from Galway. She said she would be delighted to drop in and surprise my mother,” said Michael.
For Margaret, it was the chance of a lifetime to meet and chat with Susan. “Since the first time I heard her sing and saw her on television, there was something different about her. She is so down to earth. We had a great chat and she was asking me all about the turf which we had put into the shed earlier in the day.
“It was hard to believe that here was Susan Boyle in Rookfield standing beside me and the rick of turf. If she had been around earlier in the summer I would have brought her over to the bog!” said Margaret.
Susan has visited Knock on a number of occasions and was in the village on organised pilgrimages from Scotland long before she became an international celebrity. Both her parents were from Donegal.
Last year, Susan also visited Knock and, accompanied by local church organist John Aldridge, rendered two well known hymns, Amazing Grace and Ave Maria to sustained applause from the appreciative congregation in the Basilica.
“Susan has a great fondness for Knock and told me she loved coming over here. No doubt, she will be back again next year. Fame has not gone to her head anyway, you’d swear you knew her all your life. She is one of the best,” said Margaret.