Stop Knocking Knock Name Change

Saturday April 22, 2006 23:58

by Keith Martin- Councillor

End the negativity says Mayo Councillor

Cllr Keith Martin wants an end to negative publicity surrounding Knock Airport's name change from Knock International Airport to Ireland Westport Airport Knock

Knock Aiport changes its name

A Mayo based Labour Councillor has critiscised the negative publicity surrounding the renaming of Knock Airport. Councillor Keith Martin from Westport says it is shameful the way the issue is being highlighted in the local and national media by the public and certain politicians as “a bad thing.” Councillor Martin also hit out at comments that Monsignor Horan would be “spinning in his grave” at the thought of renaming the airport Ireland West Airport Knock.

The new name for the airport has received a lot of bad publicity in Mayo since it was changed from Knock International Airport to Ireland West Airport Knock. Councillor Martin says it is a case of a “rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

Councillor Martin maintains “it does not matter what the airport is called, it matters that it is there and it is a success. This airport has been called everything from a “white elephant” to the “foggy boggy hill in Mayo”. In fact it has gone through several different names in its 20 year history. It has been called Connaught Regional Airport, Horan International Airport, Knock International Airport and now Ireland West Airport Knock.

“What matters is that this airport now caters for over 600,000 passengers a year. Between regular flights and charter flights, planes leave Knock airport for destinations in the UK, Spain, Lapland, South Africa and the airport is now gearing up for transatlantic flights to the US. That is what we should be highlighting not the name change.

“There has been a suggestion that the visionary behind the airport's construction, Monsignor James Horan, is being forgotten or dishonoured by the changing of the name of the airport. This is complete bunk. No-one will ever forget that man and what he did for Mayo and for the West of Ireland. There is a dedicated bust to him in the lobby of the airport and his robes are preserved in the National Museum at Turlough House in Castlebar. The idea that he would be upset by the renaming of the airport is not on. Monsignor Horan wanted that airport to be a success and serve the people of the West of Ireland and it is doing that spectacularly and that is the best tribute to his memory that there is.

“We in Mayo should support the management of the airport and congratulate them on the success that the airport is and not take cheap shots over something as silly as the re-naming of the airport. It is still called Knock Airport and it is continuing the vision of Monsignor Horan and that is all that is important.”