Achonry and Elphin Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine

What to Expect

Parishes across the Dioceses of Achonry and Elphin, which cover County Sligo, travel together each August for the annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine. The centrepiece is a 3pm Mass on Sunday 16 August 2026, led by Bishop Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin and Achonry. Alongside the Mass, the Shrine runs a Family Day from 11am to 3pm in the Shrine gardens, with outdoor activities on the green (weather permitting) and marquees holding indoor workshops and games for children. All of the Family Day activities are free of charge, and pilgrims of every age are welcome whether or not they join the wider parish groups travelling from Sligo.

This is a day pilgrimage rather than an overnight trip, so most parishioners travel by coach or car on the morning of the 16th and return the same evening. It is one of the fixed dates in the Sligo faith calendar alongside the diocese’s Lourdes pilgrimage later in the same month, and parish notices in the weeks beforehand usually carry details of coach pick-up points for anyone wanting to travel with their local parish rather than independently.

Good to Know

• Date and time: Sunday 16 August 2026, diocesan Mass at 3pm
• Family Day: 11am to 3pm in the Shrine gardens, free, all ages
• Venue: Knock Shrine, Co. Mayo, with pilgrims travelling from parishes across the Dioceses of Achonry and Elphin, including County Sligo
• Price: Free to attend; pilgrims cover their own travel
• Recurrence: Annual diocesan pilgrimage, held every August
• Coach travel is generally arranged parish by parish. Check with your local Sligo parish office for pick-up points and times.

Getting There

Knock Shrine is roughly an hour’s drive from Sligo town via the N17. Parishes typically organise coach travel from Sligo, so check parish notices for the nearest pick-up point if travelling as part of a group rather than independently.