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Spot on critique Graham. I’m a regular user of the street for a few years now so I took to the practice of looking beyond the street whenever walking along it to the wonderful view of O’Connell street or the Lords entrance, I thus forgot how bad the street is, especially that amusement arcade or whatever it is on the west side. I’m glad to see you mentioned the trees in front of the buildings. Trees are a total illogicality in cities!! What is the point in decorating buildings if they’re behind leaves!!?? Portland, brick, glass, corinthian columns, sash windows..if you can’t actually see them why have them? A large section of the north quays are invisible behind leaves, naturally, mostly the sections with the decent buildings, like the Four Courts (!) Did you mention how dangerous it is walking on the east side where that un marked turn off for buses and taxis is- practically every time I cross it someone has to run for it.

This very accomplished sculpture is in the White Abbey, Kildare. There’s an interesting story behind the painting which explains the anxious facial expressions
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This is underneath it
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And this is in the parish church in Kildare, which is is totally wrecked
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Shots of the medieval Cathedral here http://www.flickr.com/photos/58086761@N00/sets/72157600180819437/
Restored by George Edmund street who did Christchurch Dublin

Aren’t the bollards supposed to stop you opening the car door?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58086761@N00/474788951/in/set-72157600141174376/ Look here for an exampl e of remarkably fine plastering in a medieval church. The interior of the nave however is not plastered but in consolation the rubblework is about as attractive as could be.

Speaking of ‘rubblework’ look at the masonry break in Clonamery church http://www.flickr.com/photos/58086761@N00/477261589/in/set-72157600157077521/ How infinitely superior the pre-norman tradition was aesthetically.

Here’s a site with excellent interactive panoramas of quite a few buildings, including a brilliant one of donaghmore church

http://www.ireland360.com/index.html

Prax
For the sake of context, would you be prepared to name a church in each european country which is the worst example of vandalism in that country that you know of?

How can such an important organisation as an bord pleannala have such an ancient piece of shit website!

Guidelines for Planning Authorities; Architectural Heritage Protection for Places of Public Worship:

4. …When considering a declaration
relating to a protected structure that is regularly used as a place of public
worship or an application for planning permission for development to the
interior of a protected structure that is regularly used as a place of public
worship, the legislation provides that the planning authority shall respect
liturgical requirements. …
5. …In relation to declarations, this may mean that some works which are
necessitated by liturgical requirements and which have a material effect on the
character of the structure do not require planning permission. …
8. …Where works are proposed that are not required by the liturgy, but
would facilitate a religious use continuing in a place of worship, the planning
authority should respect the architectural heritage of the structure. …
9. …the planning authorities will ascertain the liturgical requirements
in each case. The religious authorities consulted by the Minister have agreed
to establish the following bodies, (which, as well as liturgy, will draw on
relevant expertise in art/architectural heritage,) for consultations:
10. Roman Catholic Church: The consultations will be on a diocesan basis.
Historic Churches Advisory Committees (or equivalent agencies) are to be
established on a diocesan or inter-diocesan basis to advise the bishop on the
heritage/historic factors in a place of worship for which a declaration is
requested or a planning application is made. Each Committee will advise on
the necessary documentation, including liturgical requirements, which will be
forwarded to the planning authority. It will also be available for consultations
with the planning authority. …

Is this not saying that, the decision of the PA is dependent on the liturgy which is defined by the clergy who themselves are the applicants? That doesn’t make sense.

@Praxiteles wrote:

My goodness, what is all this?

I have nothing against devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, but I would point out the inappropriatness of using clndelabra in this fashion since these are reserved for Benedictionof the Blessed Sacrament (and on a minor thing, I would point out that seven branched candelabra are supposed to be used when a bishop presides at benediction). Also, placing objects such as flower pots or vases directly onto the altar is not (and never was) liturgically permitted.

Do I notice pieces of the original plaster stilol on the walls?

I would say so yes, and of course there are large fragments of frescoes left on parts of the walls, which I did not shoot, as pictures of them are easy to find. Ireland is not the only country where Cistercian churches still in use are innappropriately furnished- though we’re well ahead of the rest of the pack it seems-
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@Praxiteles wrote:

It is amazing that so much has survived here and equally amazing that the restoration of the cloister has not been completed. This gives the impression that the steam ran out towards the end of the project and something should be done about it.

A feature of Holy Cross that stkes me is the steep gradiant towards the west in the present floor. This causes me to wonder whether it is an original feature of the church or an interpretation that may not have taken account of the fact that early French churches were entered through the west door which lead to a flight of steps down to the floor level. The phenomenon explains why in many ruined medieval churches in Ireland a grave-yard can be inserted into the nave and chancel of the church which still can be entered by the west door at same level as the graveyard.

This feature of a lower nave floor-level is clearly to be seen in the Cathedral of St. André in Bordeaux (consecrated 1096) and in the Abbey Church of Fontvrault in Anjou (1101) which was the mausoleum of the Plantagenet dynasty.

Here is a view of the west interior of Fontvrault clearly showing the flight of steps:

A river runs past the east end of Holycross perpendicular to the nave and I believe there may be significant sloping in that direction- but it’s not on a rocky outcrop- why would it need to be sloped anyway? I notice in several french cistercian houses like Senanque, Silvacane and le Thoronet there are varying ground levels, in aisles and cloister walks.

re Fontevrault; What is the story with that obviously new floor? It’s beautiful, but is it appropriate?

@Praxiteles wrote:

Some very interesting pieces of information from the Clogher diocesan site:

The Diocese of Clogher
St Macartan’s Cathedral
The Sanctuary

…

The Sanctuary (Photo by Manuel Lavery)

To encourage maximum participation by the entire congregation in the celebration
of the Eucharist, the altar is given pride of place in the crossing, just at the
point where, because of the deliberate absence of stained glass in the rose
windows of the transepts and in certain other high-level windows, the natural
light of day is brighest and most concentrated. The altar is carved from a single
piece of granite from south County Dublin. As an integral piece of natural stone
it suggests the primeval offering of sacrifice. Its carefully-wrought carving
humanises that concept, so that this great rock is transformed into a table,
inviting the worshipper to partake of the sacred meal in communion with the
Lord.

…

😀 😀 😀 laugh out loud reading 😀 😀 😀 classic!