Knock Airport celebrates 25th anniversary

Ireland West Airport Knock in 2011 with its new terminal building which was opened in October 2010 with capacity to cater for one million passengers.

Knock celebrates 25th anniversary of the west’s landmark airport


Ireland West Airport Knock has silenced the doubters of a quarter of a century ago

Trevor Quinn

“To understand the phenomenon that is popularly known as Knock Airport, you have to see it not just as an airport, but a state of mind.” That’s the view of the Chairman of Ireland West Airport Knock as staff at the airport celebrated the historic 25th anniversary of the airport yesterday, Monday, May 30.
Since opening a quarter of a century ago the airport has endured two recessions, a boom, bust, boom and defied all the sceptics who said it would never be completed or ever survive.
This year is set to mark the busiest year in the history of the airport when it is envisaged that it will achieve a new high of 640,000 passengers. From its humble beginnings the airport now serves 25 international destinations and hosts four of Europe’s biggest international carriers in Ryanair, Aer Lingus, flybe and bmibaby.
Chairman Liam Scollan is convinced Ireland West Airport has the momentum to continue to exceed expectations.
“Right from the time of Monsignor Horan all of us connected with it have had to draw on reserves of endurance, innovation and even defiance. We are now the fourth largest airport in the State and have 40 per cent share of the UK market from the west of Ireland. Provided we continue to have that spirit there will be a good future and maybe one day we will be the second largest airport in the country.”
If Monsignor Horan was around today he would no doubt be inspired by the endeavour which has seen new flights to Allicante, Faro, Ibiza, Tenerife, Gran Canaria bring guaranteed sunshine and sangria within a few hours distance of Mayo.
Monsignor Horan enterprisingly changed Knock Shrine into the country’s major pilgrimage attraction. He succeeded in promoting the religious aspects of the holy shrine and he then set about putting an airport in place which could transport Irish and international visitors to the west of Ireland.
Monsignor Horan described Knock as “an impoverished, neglected region” which urgently needed infrastructure to prosper. Looking back over 25 years it is interesting to mark some of the many milestones which pave the defiant path to its current status.


The late Monsignor James Horan triumphantly welcomes the first Aer Lingus flight to Rome in 1986.

By the late 1980s,100,000 passengers were using the airport with a new Irish airline called Ryanair opening its first route to London Luton. Today Ryanair operates 12 routes from the airport and flies more passengers from Ireland West Airport Knock than from any other airport outside Dublin and Cork.
In the late 90s, a young politician called Enda Kenny became Tourism Minister and secured some modest marketing funds of €66,000 for the airport. Just recently Enda Kenny TD touched down on Mayo soil for the first time as Taoiseach and one suspects that the airport might be upping the request from €66,000 in the near future.
Airport Managing Director Joe Gilmore said: “The challenges facing the airport into the future are focused on maintaining the very high standards in safety, security, operational efficiency and customer service, whilst continuing to manage costs in a very competitive environment. I also wish to acknowledge the continued support of the travelling public who have used the airport over the past 25 years and will continue to use it as the airport expands its catchment area and further develops its route network into mainland Europe and the US”.
The airport now serves more UK destinations than any other airport on the west coast and is rapidly expanding its offering of sun holiday destinations. Every year it brings in thousands of tourists to the north and west regions and sees growing potential in developing access from continental Europe, in Germany, France and Italy and continues to eye the US market.