Ireland West Airport at Knock is urging people travelling to and from the airport for the Pope’s visit to ignore instructions from their sat-nav.
To deal with the high volume of traffic expected in the area on August 26 when Pope Francis visits Knock shrine, there will be road closures in the area around Knock airport.
From midnight on Saturday August 25, until 3pm on Sunday, 30km of the N17 between Claremorris and Charlestown will be closed to regular traffic.
There will be limited access on the N17 from Claremorris to Knock, restricted to residents and people with tickets for Pope Francis’ visit to Knock shrine.
In addition the section of road leading directly to the airport will be closed from 8:45am – 09:45am and 10:45am – 11:30am to facilitate the arrival and departure of Pope Francis.
Travellers are being advised not to listen to instructions from their sat-nav, as it many lead to them to closed off roads.
Gardaí have put a traffic management plan in place for the area around the airport on the day and are advising motorists of the following.
Motorists travelling North to the airport should divert onto the N60 to Castlebar in Claremorris.
From Castlebar motorists are advised to turn right onto the R373 to Moneen, right again onto the N5.
Just after Swinford on the N5, turn left at Cloonaghboy. Go down this road for 6.6km then turn right onto the Old Airport road.
Follow this road for another 6km then left at the signpost Airport R376 and continue until you come to a roundabout.
Turn right at the roundabout to reach Knock airport.
Motorists coming from Ballaghadereen should travel on the N5, then turn right onto the L1331 at Carracastle.
Continue on to Charlestown and go down Chapel street for a kilometre, then turn onto the old airport road.
From there follow the same instructions as before to reach the roundabout and Knock airport.
Travellers coming from Sligo should take the N17 to Charlestown and then continue as advised above.
Pope Francis will be travelling through Knock Airport on Sunday August 26 as he visits the shrine to Our Lady of Knock as part of the World Meeting of Families being held in Dublin.
