Re: Re: reorganisation and destruction of irish catholic churches
The lesser known Hurley.
John Pine Hurley architect.3 Victoria Terrace, Summerhill, Cork, 1856.
Architect, of Cork. John Pine (or Pyne) Hurley was active as an architect in Cork from the 1850s or earlier until the 1870s. He is probably the J. Hurley, architect, of Cork, who exhibited ‘architectural elevations’ and a ‘design of town hall, Cork’, at the National Exhibition of the Arts, Manufactures & Products, Cork, in 1852. His first major commission came in the spring of 1856 when Bishop Timothy Murphy appointed him architect for the new St Colman’s College, Fermoy. He is presumably the John Hurley who designed improvements to the chapel of St Mary’s Convent, Cobh, in 1858 and who was placed first in the competition for designing the church of SS. Peter & Paul, Cork, the following year, although the church was actually executed to designs by EDWARD WELBY PUGIN. In 1867 he designed the new Catholic church and convent schools at Kanturk, Co. Cork. He is listed as an architect in the Cork Mercantile Directory for 1863.
According to Forde, nothing is known of Hurley in Cork after the mid 1870s, and he is believed to have emigrated. Possibly he moved to Dublin first. A John Pim Hurley appears in the list of architects in the classified section of Thom’s Dublin Directory for the years 1873 and 1874, with an address at 202 Great Brunswick Street, Dublin. This had been the address of CHARLES GEOGHEGAN until 1871, when Geoghegan moved to 205 Great Brunswick Street. However no John Pim Hurley is named at this address in the street directory section of the Post Office Directory for 1874. In the Post Office Directory for 1875, however, a John J. Hurley, architect, is to be found at 18 Clare Street.
Since the Jubilee Year major refurbishment of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Kanturk, has been implemented. The completion of the work was marked by a liturgical celebration at 12.00 noon on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th 2007. The celebration on December 8th included the consecration by Bishop Magee of a new Fixed Altar, designed and crafted by Ken Thompson in Portugese Limestone. An Ambo and Chair in the same material have also been introduced.
The church has quite an extensive volume of Stained Glass Windows, all of which were completely refurbished prior to the implementation of the requirements of Planning Act 2000.
The church was placed on the Register of Protected Structures, consequently, through Cloyne HCAC we had to engage with the Heritage Unit of the Planning Department of Cork County Council since the implementation of the Planning Act 2000, and I am happy to say that all works carried out have been done by ‘Declaration’.
Besides the introduction of a new Altar, Ambo and Chair, the works include:
· New Electrical Installation.
· New Heating Installation, incorporating extensive insulation of the roof for energy conservation.
· Redecoration throughout.
· Refurbishment of Church Grounds, incorporating extra car parking spaces.
This is the second major makeover of the church since it was established in 1867. The previous one took place in 1912. The cost of the present programme is almost 2m.
