Day 29

Day 29 9:00 am With not much else left to do in Ballina, TK suggests I head down to Knock, Ireland. I’ve never heard of the place, but he tells me it is the setting of a religious “miracle.”
Here’s the gist of Knock:
The Story of Knock began on the 21st August 1879 when Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the south gable of Knock Parish Church. The apparition was witnessed by fifteen people, young and old. From this miraculous Apparition Knock has grown to the status of an internationally recognised Marian Shrine.
The personal pilgrimage of Pope John Paul II in 1979, commemorating the centenary of the apparition, inspired an even greater devotion to the Shrine and endorsed the indelible seal of Vatican approval. Mother Teresa of Calcutta visited the Shrine in June of 1993. One and a half million pilgrims visit the Shrine annually.

If that sounds like what you would see on the Knock website, then you would be correct.

Anyway, I had nothing else to do and it looked interesting. All it cost me was bus fare. Once there it was kind of cool. All the stories of every witness were so accurate and similar that the Catholic Church gives it “miracle” status. Another interesting thing is all the stories of Knock holy water curing all kinds of people. Of course I believe this proves the power of the mind and why we need placebos, but still interesting. But, I still grabbed a bottle. In a funny related story. This bottle remained in the Haggerty rental car until it was apparently drank by my Father. So if his next colonoscopy comes clean we know why.

Here is a depiction of what everybody said they saw


Here's an areal view of the whole grounds.


11:00 pm Having trouble going to sleep since I am excited about the oncoming Haggerty clan. Should be a great and wonderful week.