Re: Re: Brother Michael Augustine O’Riordan

St. Mary’s Church Passage West, Cork, which dates to 1791.

The location is indicative of its date. It is built on the site behind the site adjacent to the highway. Unfortunately, no one has yet thought of demolishing the houses obscuring the church.

It would appear that the present facade of the church is possibly of a later date and well depicts what a facade would have been been before 1829 with the absence of its bellcot. Charleville had one erected on the gable after 1829. Note, however, that the bellcot is over the sanctuary of the church.

It would also appear that the interior is later than 1791 and probably the result of an improvement in the 1820s or 1830s. Unfortunately, the serliana has lost its pictures and the Crucifix has been hung too high. The chromatic scheme is a horror. The loss of the altar rail is to be lamented. The porch at the front of the church displays a particularly sensitive aesthetic sense. It has been more recently “accomodated”.