‘Strange Occurrences in a small Irish village’ by Aoife Kelleher is a new documentary on Knock Shrine and village. It will open on Friday 26th August in many cinemas across Ireland and Mayo including the IMC cinema in Ballina, Mayo Movie World in Castlebar and Eye Cinema Galway.

On the 21st of August, 1879, Vergin Mary, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the south gable of Knock Parish Church. This Apparition was witnessed by fifteen people, young and old. After two official inquiries, which involved separate interrogations of each of the witnesses, the village was pronounced a Marian Shrine.

The film, shot over two years, explores the Apparition with a historical account. Relatives of the witnesses read direct to camera their testimonials and diary entries.

Believers will be appealed by the celebration of the Knock phenomenon while nonbelievers will find very interesting the portrait of the modern Knock welcoming a million pilgrims annually and representing much of rural Ireland which adapts to modern times while also it fights to retain tradition.

It is a touching film which takes something cosmic and makes it human.