Ireland West Airport

Ireland West Airport , officially known as Ireland West Airport Knock , is an international airport 5.6 km south-west of Charlestown, County Mayo, Ireland. The village of Knock is 20 km away. 750,000 passengers used the airport in 2017, making it the fourth-busiest in Ireland .

The airport opened on 25 October 1985 with three Aer Lingus charter flights to Rome: the official opening was on 30 May 1986. The site, on a hill in boggy terrain, was thought by many to be unrealistic, but the airport was built following a long and controversial campaign by Monsignor James Horan, the story of which has even inspired a musical. The primary motivation was for building it was to attract pilgrims to Knock Shrine. Despite criticisms that the site was too boggy and too foggy, Horan delivered an airport within five years, primarily financed by a Government grant of £9.8 million. He died shortly after the opening of the airport, and his funeral was held at the then-named Horan International Airport. In recent times, Horan has been celebrated with a bronze statue erected at the airport.

Wikipedia