Brother Michael Augustine O'Riordan

by **Praxiteles** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:40 pm

The Church of St. Barrahane, Castlehaven, Co. Cork

The sanctuary in this church is distinguished from the nave not by architectural features but by decorative elements, notably, the paint scheme in the sanctuary and by the glazing of the sanctuary windows.

At the back, there are two very finely crafted confessionals in the classical idiom -almost certainly from the Pro-Cathedral in Skibbereen.

It is to be hoped that someone in the Cork County Council heritage department - which is certainly not distinguished for its Wissenshaft - will realize the importance of this country church and ensure that it will not be subjected to depradation or liturgical nonsense. Perhaps we should employ the Skibbereen Eagle to turn its haughty gaze for while on the County Hall.

by **Luzarches** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:44 pm

One simple method of dignifying an interior at the minimal of cost is to remove undifferentiated fitted carpets that cover entire sanctuaries and often congregational spaces too.

Fitted carpets, when used in this way, I think, are intended to cancel out distinctions of function and degrees of sanctity. It has the same effect as where the altar is on the same level as the sanctuary sans footpace.

Introducing a fine loose carpet to dignify the altar itself might be a means to point to the idea of the orientation of worship and the pre-eminent dignity of the altar.

by **Praxiteles** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 9:05 pm

The Church of St. Joseph, Fornaught, near Donoughmore, Co. Cork

This church preserves the remains of a serliana altar that clearly came from a much bigger church. The serliana in Fornaught has been scaled down to fit the church and none of the architrave was rebuilt here. Investigations have, so far, failed to located the church in which this feature was originally erected.

by **Praxiteles** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 10:28 pm

As an example of a near contemporary use of a serliana altar retable and symetricl doors to a retro sacristy here are some examples from the Franciscan Missions in California founded between 1776-1823:

Nuestra Segnora de la Soledad
San JosÃ© (reconstructed)
San Luis Re de Francia
Santa Clara de Asis

by **Praxiteles** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:34 pm

Would anyone have a photograph of the interior of St. Colman's Church, Cloyne, Co. Cork?

by **Praxiteles** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 3:39 pm

Church of the Exaltation of the Hoy Cross, Charleville, Co. Cork built in 1812.

By a source of great good fortune a friend of Praxiteles managed to unearth and pass on the enclosed photograph of the interior of the church of the Holy Cross in Charleville probably buily by Br. O'Riordan in 1812, which served as parish church until the construction of the present neo-gothic church which was opened in 1902. The first church is now used as a parochial hall but Praxiteles is informed that the central arch of the serliana -and possibly its pediment - survives in situ. This example of a serliana altar closely resembles the one in nearby Ballyhea. Again, we have the centrally located High Altar flanked by two votive altars located slightly forward to allow access to th sanctuary from behind their rerdos. The painting over the High Altar is almost certainly a crucifixion as no crucifix has been placed on the gradine of the altar between the candle sticks. It is not possible to say whether the ensemble originally had two other pictures hanging above the votive altars.

As a matter of curiosity, it is interesting to note the double altar rail (which was also a feature in Ballyhea and still exists in Castlehaven). Note the small number of proper benches between the two rails - which would have been rented. The nave of the church, however, is furnished merely with forums equipped with kneelers - which is the origin for the expression of "being in the halfpenny place" for such would have been the contribution for their use.

by **Rhabanus** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 3:57 pm

Praxiteles wrote:The Church of St. Joseph, Fornaught, near Donoughmore, Co. Cork

This church preserves the remains of a serliana altar that clearly came from a much bigger church. The serliana in Fornaught has been scaled down to fit the church and none of the architrave was rebuilt here. Investigations have, so far, failed to located the church in which this feature was originally erected.

The tatty banners ought to be removed from the lecterns in St Joseph, Fornaught. It strikes me as a peculiarly Protestant and Protestantizing characteristic to display words, words, words, and more words. It suggests an appalling ignorance of iconography and likewise betrays a distinct lack of taste as well as of imagination.

Pity the clergy of Ireland lack proper instruction in sacred art and architecture. ACCOUNTABILITY????

by **Praxiteles** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 4:02 pm

Agreed!

by **Praxiteles** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:20 am

Some notes on theChurch of the Nativity of Our Lady, Doneraile, Co. Cork

http://homepages.iol.ie/~nodonnel/rcchurch.htm

by **samuel j** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:25 am

Did you know St. John the Bapstists in Kinsale was re-ordered in 2004

by **Praxiteles** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:32 pm

I am not sure about being re-ordered. Restoration work was certainly carried out on it and Jack Coughlan and Co of Cork were the conservation architects. There is a misplaced baptismal font in the left hand transept - which, if memory serves me correctly, bears no Christian symbol of any kind.

It would be highly interesting were it possible to get a photograph ofthe interior before had been interfered with.