Knock shrine bosses have been forced to apologise to a 13-year-old girl from Co. Leitrim after she was told her clothing breached a new dress code.
Lauren Moran from Drumshanbo was at the holy site in Co. Mayo last Thursday when the incident happened.
The teen was approached by a security guard who informed her that her shorts were in breach of a new dress code being enforced.
The guidelines were introduced to bring the shrine into line with similar practices at Lourdes, the Vatican, and other pilgrimage sites.
Shrine manager Pat Lavelle later apologised for the incident.
Speaking to i102104 Lauren’s mother Melanie says it was a shock for the youngster.
“She had been approached by the security guard and told ‘have you seen the dress code’” she said.
“Now he was quite nice about it; he kind of said ‘I have to stop wearing my shorts’…but she was upset about it”.
“She reads at mass, she’s in the choir – she’s a very active member of the community” she added.
