John's sterling service to Order of Malta

Knock man John Egan has been honoured with one of the most distinguished awards granted by the Order of Malta in recognition of more than five decades of voluntary service.

During the Order’s annual national pilgrimage to Knock Shrine recently, Mr Egan was presented with the Sovereign Order of Malta Cross Pro Merito Melitensi, awarded by the Prince and Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap and the Sovereign Council in Rome, and conferred on John by Patrick Downes, Co-Chair of the Irish Association. The award, which is rarely given to civilians, acknowledges Mr Egan’s outstanding contribution to the Ambulance Corps and to the work of the Order of Malta, both locally and internationally.

Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Egan described receiving the award as “a great honour” and said it was of particular importance because it came from Rome. 

“This award came from the Prince and Grand Master and the Sovereign Council,” he said. “It’s not an Irish award. I’ve received Irish awards before, but this one is the highest one for civilians, and I am honoured to receive it.” 

Mr Egan explained that while he had known of the award since last year, the presentation had been delayed. 

“It was meant to happen last November, but I couldn’t attend, and then again on St John’s Day in June, I was due to go into hospital the following morning. It was decided that the annual pilgrimage day to Knock would be the most appropriate place and time, especially since I’ve been involved here for over 52 years.” 

Mr Egan first began voluntary work at Knock Shrine on May 6th, 1973, establishing a team of volunteers to provide ambulance and first aid services for pilgrims. In 1984, he became the founding officer in charge when the Knock unit of the Order of Malta was formally established. Over the years, he rose through the ranks to commandant, was invested as a Knight of Magistral Grace in 2013, and also qualified as an emergency medical technician, tutoring new volunteers and delivering first aid training to schools and community groups.

In addition to leading medical services at Knock Shrine, he has organised cover for some of the shrine’s most historic occasions, including the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1979, the visit of Pope Francis in 2018 and the visit of Mother Teresa in 1993, as well as the National Eucharistic Congress in 2011 and 2015. He has also led dozens of pilgrimages to Lourdes, Fatima and Rome, where his unit provided first aid duties at the Vatican.

Brian Coote, National Director of the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps in Ireland, described the award as “a very big deal”, explaining that it was an international honour rarely bestowed.

“The award to John Egan is recognition of over 50 years of service,” Mr Coote said. “He has been a central figure at Knock, where his unit looks after all first aid and emergency services at the shrine. This comes from Rome, from our headquarters, and it is something very special.” 

Mr Coote also paid tribute to the wider work of the organisation in Ireland. 

“The Order of Malta is 900 years old, dedicated to caring for the poor and the sick. Here in Ireland, our 3,000 members provide first aid, ambulance services and training across 60 units nationwide, entirely on a voluntary basis. We operate 130 vehicles to the same standard as HSE ambulances, but without central government funding - our work is sustained by charitable donations and fundraising.

“The Association of Members, the members you see here today are the Knights and Dames in the robes, are all members of the Order. It is a lay order of the Catholic Church, but the Ambulance Corps is a non-denominational organisation open to members of all faiths or no faith.” 

Throughout his long career, Mr Egan has been instrumental in fundraising for new ambulances and equipment for Knock. Working with successive parish priests, including Monsignor James Horan and more recently Fr Richard Gibbons, he has helped ensure the unit could maintain top quality modern vehicles, including a rapid response car and fully equipped ambulance.

He has also extended the unit’s care beyond the shrine, providing services for the annual Croagh Patrick pilgrimage, the Ballinrobe Races, local charity events and call-outs in the community. He has overseen respite projects for children with disabilities and difficult family circumstances, helped to coordinate homeless outreach initiatives in Dublin, and even supported Order of Malta members volunteering at the Ukrainian border in 2022.

Reflecting on his decades of service, Mr Egan said his commitment began when Monsignor Horan first asked him to organise a small team to provide ambulance cover at Knock. 

“That was 52 years ago,” he recalled. “Since then, I’ve never left it. It’s about helping people, whether they are pilgrims, the sick, the elderly, or those in need in the community.” 

Fr Richard Gibbons, Rector of Knock Shrine, congratulated Mr Egan during the ceremony, saying: “It is a wonderful recognition of your work here, of your dedication to the Shrine and of all the history you have been part of at Knock. On behalf of the staff and the people here, we thank you for all you have done and wish you many more years of service.” 

Despite the scale of his contribution, Mr Egan remains characteristically modest. 

“It’s not something you take lightly,” he said of the award. “It is a very distinguished honour, but really it belongs to everyone who has worked with me over the years. I’m just proud that it came here, to Knock, where it all started.” 

At the ceremony, an award was also made to Archbishop Emeritus, Michael Neary, for his spiritual service to the Order.