A Wing and a Prayer – The Story of Knock Airport

Overview

Directed by John Blackman, "A Wing and a Prayer – The Story of Knock Airport" follows the efforts to construct an international airport at Knock in County Mayo during the early 1980s. Originating from a 1981 RTÉ News report, the film charts Monsignor James Horan’s campaign to build a full-length runway in a remote, rural location, documenting the political resistance, changing governments, and repeated setbacks that accompanied the project before the airport’s opening in 1986.

Directed by John Blackman

Top cast

M

Monsignor James Horan

Self - Knock Parish Priest

C

Charles Haughey

Self - Fianna Fáil (four time) Former Taoiseach

P

Pádraig Flynn

Self - Fianna Fáil Minister of State Department of Transport, 1980-81

A

Albert Reynolds

Self - Fianna Fáil Minister for Transport 1979-81

J

Jim Mitchell

Self - Fine Gael TD Minister for Communications 1984-87

J

Jim Ryan

Self - Airport Design Consultant

M

Michael O'Malley

Self - Mayo County Manager

J

Joe Murphy

Self - Jaycees International, 1981

P

Paddy O'Toole

Self - Fine Gael TD, Mayo East 1977-87

B

Barry Desmond

Self - Labour TD, Minister of State Department of Finance 1981-82

F

Frank McCullogh

Self - Airport Action Committee

Morley Safer

Self - CBS '60 Minutes' Reporter

M

Mary Donoghue

Self - Airport Fundraising Volunteer

M

Maurice Buckby

Self - Airport Director, British Airports International

D

Danny Higgins

Self - Managing Director, Celtic Air

S

Sister

Self - Nun

Details