1869 – St. Brigid’s Church, Crosshaven, Co. Cork

“The foundation stone of a new church was laid on the 22nd ult. at Crosshaven, Co. Cork, by the Bishop, the Most Rev. WUliam Delany, D.D. The new church, which is being built from designs by Mr. E. Welby Pugin, will stand due east and west, occupying a commanding site on the brow of the hill, directly facing the entrance to the Carrigaline river. In plan the building will consist of a nave and aisles, terminated at the east end by the chancel and side chapels. Over the side arches of the nave, which will be supported by columns of polished Cork red marble, will run a clerestory of simple but effective design. The sacristy will be on the south side of the church, near to the chancel, and at the southwest angle of the building a baptistry will be provided. The roofs will be of exposed timber work, having the ceiling spaces panelled.

The church, as laid out, is 92 feet long, by 45 feet wide in the clear, and the height, from floor to ridge pole, will be 55 feet. Externally the building will be finished with limestone facing and Bath stone dressing to the doors and windows. An outside porch is provided at the western or principal entrance, and a lofty tower or spire (the lower storey of which serves as a second entrance porch) stands about mid-way in the length of the north elevation. In the centre of the lower part of the east or chancel gable, just above where the foundation has been laid, will be a niche containing a statue of Saint Brigid, the patron saint of the parish, and to whom the new church is to be dedicated.

Above this niche, in the upper portion of the same gable, and filling up the space over the high altar, when viewed from the interior, there will be a large and very handsome rose window. Other rose windows of smaller size and varied in design, will also be introduced in the gable of the aisles. The style of the architecture is Victorian Gothic, and the work is being carried out under the personal superintendence of Mr. Collingridge Barnett, the Irish representative of Mr. Welby Pugin. Mr. Rd. Evans, of Cork, is the contractor.” The Irish Builder, September 1 1869.

Not completely as designed by E.W. Pugin, the spire is a later design. The stonework was also the subject of a legal dispute between the client Canon Denis McSwiney and the contractor Richard Evans over ambiguous instructions from the architect. The interior as would be expected marble altar furniture and stained glass windows. Most of the interior fittings are still in-situ although simplified, including fine mosaics by Ludwig Oppenheimer & Co from around 1915. The distinctive spire is a later addition from the 1960s.