1858 – Garrison Churches, Curragh Camp, Newbridge, Co. Kildare

Architectural twins, two garrison churches, one Anglican (St. Paul’s), one Roman Catholic (St. Brigid’s), to cater for the soldiers of the camp. Both huge catering for 1,500 men each, and of wooden construction. The Irish Independent of December 6th, 1950 tells us that “The old church was erected by the British as a Protestant church, but in 1924 when the Catholic church was burned down it was given over for Catholic worship.”

The surviving twin was demolished in December 1950 and replaced by 1959. According to the Irish Independent “In taking down the old structure the contractors are preserving the valuable stained-glass windows which will be put into the new building…. Until the new church is ready the services are being held in the Curragh gymnasium.” The new church was described in the The Nationalist and Leinster Times, 14th November 1959, as “A Kildare triumph for the modern artists of Ireland” and details the artists involved but makes no mention of the old windows.

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