An Post is proposing to issue a special stamp to honour the former parish priest of Knock, Co. Mayo, Monsignor James Horan.
Minister for Labour Affairs, Dara Calleary, who is a TD for Mayo, has
revealed that the commemorative stamp has been proposed and if
approved, as expected, the stamp will be issued by the Philatelic Bureau
next year.
2011 will mark the centenary of the birth of Msgr Horan who is
remembered mainly as the person who spearheaded the controversial
development of Knock Airport.
But he was also the leading force behind
the building of the Basilica at Knock to cater for pilgrims and
tourists.
Earlier in his career as a curate in the Tuam archdiocese, Msgr Horan
was credited with bringing rural electrification to the Aughamore area
of Co Mayo and pioneering projects in other parishes in which he served
which brought group water, afforestation and drainage schemes.
More
controversially, he was also responsible for establishing a dancehall in
Tooreen.
A musical about Monsignor Horan’s career, focusing on his promotion
of the Knock Airport project, is due to be staged shortly in Castlebar.
An Post recently honoured Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta in one of its commemorative stamp series.
If the proposal to include Monsignor Horan as one of the themes in
next year’s stamp programme goes ahead, he will be the first Mayo person
to be so honoured since Michael Davitt, the founder of the Land League.
SIC: CIN/IE