On August 21, 1879, a number of people at the small parish at Knock in county Mayo in western Ireland reported an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. During the nineteenth century, stories of similar visitations occurred throughout Europe, which coincided with the popularity of Marian devotions. In France, the Virgin appeared in Paris (1830), La Salette (1846), Lourdes (1858), and Pontmain (1871), and in 1876 an apparition occurred in Marpingen, Germany. The fame of these areas spread, and pilgrimages, reports of cures and miracles, and special devotions developed and attracted many followers. Visions of the Virgin Mary also occurred in the twentieth century and attracted much interest, and the devotion and pilgrimages of Pope John Paul II contributed to a fascination in the Virgin's apparitions. These apparitions, however, are more difficult to comprehend than one might think. David Blackbourn's Marpingen. Apparitions of the Virgin Mary in a Nineteenth-Century German Village (New York, 1994) and Ruth Harris's Body and Spirit in the Secular Age (New York, 1999) have demonstrated the complexity surrounding Marian apparitions. The local and national context, important events, the participants, and current state of Roman Catholicism all play an important part in understanding this religious phenomenon—and Eugene Hynes's insightful study also explains the apparition at Knock in the context of nineteenth-century Irish history and the local social context of this small village.

Hynes, a sociologist, uses the methods of a social scientist to explore this Marian apparition and argues that “the vision embodied in microcosm many of the central conflicts and struggles within the Irish Catholic church and especially among its local members of the time; further, that we can explain how it both expressed and transcended these conflicts” (xiv). To describe aspects of Knock in the pre-Famine era as he explores the social environment of the early part of the nineteenth century to set the stage for the 1879 apparition, the author relies on a notebook kept by Daniel Campbell. After introducing the reader to Campbell's memoir, Hynes describes the religious beliefs, practices, and traditions of the people, which are essential for understanding the Knock apparition. Fairy lore, sacred sites, station Masses, Stations of the Cross, the power of the clergy, the possibility of supernatural protection, and the important role of the archbishop of Tuam, John MacHale, are necessary elements of the story. Before he discusses the apparition, Hynes questions the validity of Emmet Larkin's devotional revolution thesis, which has dominated scholarship since 1972, in a convincing manner and shows that Paul Cardinal Cullen's Romanizing programs did not totally supplant traditional Irish beliefs and customs. Moreover, Larkin's use of Mass attendance as a measure of increased piety has several shortcomings. Hynes then devotes the remaining five chapters to developing an alternative interpretation of the events of August 1879.

After a discussion of religion in preapparition Knock, Hynes explores the crisis of authority with emphasis on the Land League and the status of members of the local clergy; the “social construction of the apparition,” which looks at workings of the investigating commission; the witnesses; the reshaping or transformation of the original vision; flaws with the so-called Magic Lantern thesis; and the importance of this Marian apparition for the hierarchy and the clergy. A succinct conclusion revisits the Larkin theory, pointing out its weaknesses, and again emphasizes the local context and the crises of authority that colored the apparition and its explanation to the public.

This is a perceptive and well-written book that gives the readers a new insight into the Knock apparition. The author constantly reminds us that he is using the methodology and approaches of a social scientist and frequently makes references to sociologists and their theories. Some historians and theologians might not feel at home with this approach to understanding a past event, but the author presents his theory in a clear and concise manner. His understanding of the local situation is superb, and he does not sacrifice the larger national implications surrounding the apparition. His analysis of the parish, the witnesses who saw the Blessed Virgin, local economic concerns, and the complexities of landholding give the reader the necessary and important background to appreciate the significance of the apparition. The Campbell memoir is an important resource, and Hynes uses this and other contemporary sources to examine the social, economic, and religious elements of the phenomenon through the eyes of individuals connected to the apparition.

Hynes is especially good in his personality sketches of Archbishop John MacHale; Bishop (later Archbishop) John MacEvilly; Fr. Bartholomew Cavanagh, the parish priest; the members of the investigating commission; and the important Beirne family. The author's knowledge of various aspects of Irish history and culture—for example, the Great Hunger, fairy lore, and the Bridget Cleary case—is apparent. Haynes's treatment of the Land League and its disruptive policies is a significant part of this book and important in understanding the dynamics of the Marian vision. The role of Charles Stewart Parnell and Michael Davitt puts the agrarian movement in the nationhood perspective, but the support of the local clergy for the landowners contributed to a crisis of authority that was influential in the events of August 1879.

This book raises serious questions about Emmet Larkin's devotional revolution thesis and portrays the Knock apparition in a new and intriguing manner. Hynes's use of sources provides insight into the local dynamics surrounding the apparition and also presents the reader with a new interpretation of Roman Catholicism in nineteenth-century Ireland. The methodology might be a challenge for those not familiar with the social science approach, but a fascinating picture of the impact of Irish religious, political, and cultural life on the local level, particularly in relation to the Virgin's apparition, emerges. The writing style is clear, the research solid, and the arguments persuasive. Hynes's book will be recognized as an outstanding contribution to Irish social and religious history.