EIGHTH WITNESS TO KNOCK VISION ANALYSED
Eighth Witness.
Testimony of Mrs. Hugh Flatley, widow of Hugh Flatley, states : —
I was passing by the chapel of Knock on the evening of the 21st of August, about eight o'clock, and I beheld most clearly and distinctly the figures of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and that of St. John the Evangelist, standing erect at the gable-end of the chapel, towards the south side ; I thought that the parish priest had been ornamenting the church, and got some beautiful likenesses removed outside.
THIS TESTIMONY MAY BE A TOTAL FABRICATION. THE MCPHILPIN BOOK, (THE APPARITIONS AND MIRACLES AT KNOCK ALSO, The Official Depositions of the Eye-Witnesses, PREPARED AND EDITED BY JOHN McPHILPIN NEPHEW OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF TUAM) SAYS THAT THE FIRST THING THAT WAS SEEN WAS GLITTERS LIKE FROST ON THE GABLE.
Here it is:
As some persons were hurriedly going along the road which leads to the chapel, at about half-past seven P. M., they perceived the wall beautifully illuminated by a soft, white, flickering light, through which could be perceived brilliant stars
twinkling as on a fine frosty night. The first person who saw it passed on".
Also, "The time at which the apparition appeared was some twenty minutes after sunset".
This slip is very important. It refutes those who say, "The images were not made by a projector for projector images would not have been so plain in daylight." It is claimed Flatley saw them before it got too dark!
THE NUN OF KENMARE KNEW THE BEIRNES VERY WELL. SHE CATEGORICALLY STATED THAT MARY BEIRNE WAS THE FIRST TO SEE THE APPARITION. SEE HER BOOK THREE VISITS TO KNOCK.
She writes
Mary Byrne was the first person who saw the actual apparition. On the evening of the 21st, of August, 1879, the eve of the Octave of the Assumption, Mary undertook the duty of locking up the church for her brother Dominick.
Archdeacon Cavanagh's housekeeper, Mary M'Laughlin had come down to the Byrnes' house for the purpose of seeing Maggie Byrne, who had been on a visit with some friends at the sea. In passing the gable, she had noticed some light or luminous appearance, but the matter made so little impression on her that she did not even speak of it when she came down to the Byrnes' house.
Mrs Flatley was probably unable to sign the document as we have her wedding certificate and she marks an x for she couldn't write. She married Hugh Flatley 19 December 1865. She was Bridget Leech then the name of her first husband who died. Her maiden name was Murphy.