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faith · Saturday 8 August 2026 · 2:00pm 
Kilmore Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock
At Basilica of Our Lady, Knock Shrine · Knock, Co. Mayo
At Basilica of Our Lady, Knock Shrine · Knock, Co. Mayo
Parishioners from Oughteragh and Drumreilly Lower Parish in south-east Leitrim travel to Knock Shrine in County Mayo on Saturday, 8 August 2026, for the Kilmore Diocesan Pilgrimage, a day of Mass, prayer and fellowship led by Bishop Martin Hayes. Bishop Hayes will be principal celebrant, with music provided by St Mary’s Church Choir from Aughnasheelin, near Ballinamore. The pilgrimage is a set date in the Diocese of Kilmore’s calendar, drawing coach parties from Cavan, Leitrim and Fermanagh parishes to Ireland’s national Marian shrine for an afternoon of devotion.
The day follows the format used at Knock for parish and diocesan pilgrimage groups through the summer season: Stations of the Cross and the Rosary at 2:00pm, followed by Mass and the Anointing of the Sick at 3:00pm in the Basilica of Our Lady, Queen of Ireland. St Mary’s Church Choir from Aughnasheelin travels up to lead the hymns, giving the Mass a distinctly Leitrim character even though the shrine itself sits across the Mayo border. Pilgrims typically arrive through the morning to visit the Apparition Chapel, the museum and the grounds before the afternoon liturgy begins. Knock Shrine can accommodate large numbers, and diocesan pilgrimage days like this one tend to draw a strong turnout of older parishioners, choir members and anyone with a particular devotion to Our Lady, alongside those from the parish wanting a day of quiet reflection away from home.
Knock Shrine is in County Mayo, about an hour and a quarter from most south Leitrim parishes via the N4 and N17, through Boyle and Charlestown. There is no direct public transport link from the Ballinamore or Carrigallen area, so most pilgrims travel by parish coach or private car. Knock Shrine has extensive free car parking, and Ireland West Airport Knock is a short drive away for anyone travelling from further afield.
Oughteragh and Drumreilly Lower Parish sits just outside Ballinamore, the market town where the Shannon-Erne Waterway comes back to life every summer with cruisers working the locks. It is worth a stop before or after the pilgrimage for a walk along the waterway or a look in at the Heritage Museum. There is more to see in Ballinamore and across Co. Leitrim.
Heading to Basilica of Our Lady, Knock Shrine in Leitrim? Leitrim has plenty more to see. Read the Leitrim area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.