Fearg
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
@johnglas wrote:
Prax: I have to share your sentiment; I’m surprised there wasn’t a Wurlitzer (or equivalent) organ in full technicolor rising through the floor. There should be no objection to ‘secular’ (non-liturgical) concert performance in churches, but there should always be a ‘sacred’ theme and the avoidance of the tacky.
The sanctuary looks both a mess and just plain dull; how much were the parishioners of Dungannon fleeced for this? At least the magnificent reredos was retained and the rest is reversible (at a price of course).They have hacked the reredos though – the central tower now seems to be floating somehow in some of the photos. The Altar rails and part of the original pulpit were also still in place, prior to the current situation.
As an aside, some Irish cathedrals and churches do have Wurlitzer style organs, albeit minus the technicolor and they do not rise out of the floor. Derry, Mullingar and Tuam Cathedrals all have Compton unit organs, very closely related to the Wurlitzer. All you need to do is crank up the tremulants and you wouldn’t know the difference! (now who would ever do that 😉 )
@Praxiteles wrote:
St Patrick’s, Dungannon.
Well, Praxiteles believes that the photograph in this link speaks volumes about the loss of even a risidual sense of the sacred in Christian worship. Clearly, we are dealing with a musical or theatrical entertainment. That an altar, which is supposed to represent Chirst, could be so vested with frippery is a sure sign of the total absence of any religious sentiment or consciousness:
http://www.parishofdungannon.com/Fund%20Raising/Concert%2021%20Sept/pages/IMG_7547_jpg.htm
Its not yet been rededicated, notice the empty tabernacle stand, I dread to think what will sit there on Sunday next. Very sad indeed considering that until recently this church had survived more or less intact. Not sure of the architect… I wonder..
On the subject of McCarthy designed churches – St Patrick’s in Dungannon has recently undergone the usual tired old treatment:
http://www.parishofdungannon.com/Fund%20Raising/Concert%2021%20Sept/index.htm
and for the purposes of comparison – a shot from the Irish National Library’s collection:
http://digital.nli.ie/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/glassplates&CISOPTR=17614&CISOBOX=1&REC=3
@johnglas wrote:
fearg: thanks for those images; I was particularly intrigued by Armagh. These must be very early photographs, since the ceiling (a particular glory of the present building) is completely undecorated. Also, the sanctuary fittings precede those which were so crudely vandalised before the most recent (and a bit timid) restoration (of sorts). So, Armagh has had FOUR sanctuary fit-outs in its history (a bit like fussy housewives and new kitchens). I wonder who profited from flogging-off all the junked marble and whether any of this was done in consultation with the long-suffering (and no doubt silently despairing) diocesans of Armagh who had to pay for it all.
I’d say taken in the first year, since the organ is also missing (and I believe was first built in 1874, the year after the cathedral opened), also interesting that the south transept was originally screened off, as it is now. Notice too that the aisles were missing their current stone vaulting and that the west gallery is a very simple possibly wooden structure.
I do believe that the 1904 screens were a bit OTT and did clutter the place up somewhat. What do others think?
The National Library of Ireland has an extensive archive of photography online. I thought I’d post some links to various buildings discussed on this thread:
Armagh Cathedral:
http://tinyurl.com/ndegde
http://tinyurl.com/kup5dx
http://tinyurl.com/m4at8k
http://tinyurl.com/llllnzCobh Cathedral:
http://tinyurl.com/m9ffwwMonaghan Cathedral:
http://tinyurl.com/l9z99rConsecration of Mullingar Cathedral:
http://tinyurl.com/m55uheand that is only scratching ths surface!
Some pictures from the BBC of the renovated interior, St Malachy’s Belfast..
The Drumaroad church has been reorganised, whilst the quality of the new fittings is perhaps not the very best, it’s definitely a huge step forward..
Before:
[ATTACH]9350[/ATTACH]After:
[ATTACH]9351[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]9352[/ATTACH]St Patrick’s Dungannon, by JJ McCarthy undergoing major work.. does anyone have details of the scheme? Does not look promising for the interior..
http://www.parishofdungannon.com/Chapel%20Images/index.htm
http://www.parishofdungannon.com/Spire/index.htm
http://www.parishofdungannon.com/Cross/index.htm
Clonard Monastery here in Belfast needs a bit of work:
@Praxiteles wrote:
Just what is going on here?
Re the deterioration on the ribbing behind the altar: could this possible derive from having painted the ribs a nice glossy white?
Does not appear to be painted.. my theory is that some investigation has taken place into the state of the mosaics around the east window, with some carelessness resulting in the loss of detailing on the reredos (just noticed that one of the crockets has also been damaged since 2007).
The restoration in 2002/2003 was supposed to rectify all of these problems..
On the subject of statues..
On a recent visit to Armagh Cathedral, I noticed some deterioration in the condition of the lady chapel reredos and the mosaics above, water ingress appears to be the problem with the mosaics.. not so sure that can explain the missing head on one of the statues though. Compare the 2 images below:
March 2007:
[ATTACH]8587[/ATTACH]Last Week:
[ATTACH]8588[/ATTACH]@Starch wrote:
….Liam Neeson closed the Lyric last weekend> now for the demolition : )
Its demolished now, apart from a section of the gents which the builders seem to be using as a store!
Armagh has a new website, worth a look..
@Paul Clerkin wrote:
Really – will have a look and see if i can get in
Just to clarify – I mean’t the one at Derrynoose..
@Praxiteles wrote:
At least we know where it is when it will come to putting it back where it belongs.
I am told that the altar and several other features from Armagh are in th parish church of Derrynoose.
That church seems to be permanently shut.. I’ve stopped several times to try and get pics, but the place has always been deserted!
@Fearg wrote:
And a similar hypothetical question for Brian Quinn – if the 1904 sanctuary had still been intact in 2002, how would you have proceeded? (Assuming the client gave you complete freedom!).
Thanks,
Fearg.Brian – I’d be interested in what your thoughts on the above would be (original question was in relation to Armagh Cathedral). thanks.
@Praxiteles wrote:
Cobh Cathedral, 25 March 2008
I notice that it was the temporary altar which was used..
Songs Of Praise, from Gorton Monastery (not sure its really worth posting, as I feel they could have shown the building off much more and its cheesy to say the least!):
@Praxiteles wrote:
Beautiful set of pictures of the interior. Some restoration wrk of the wooodwork should be undertaken.
Could do with a repaint alright, paintwork was looking a little tired when I was there in 2006.
@johnglas wrote:
The Honan chapel is one building I would really like to see. I agree the ‘modern’ vestments are dire, but the rest of the collection is robust enough.
There are a few things that strike me about the chapel: its seating is not set out ‘chapel-wise’, which detracts from its overall setting; there is absolutely no space for a choir and no organ – could a modern ‘loft’ not be inserted at the West end, designed in sympathy with the rest of the chapel? Also, the contemporary altar sits very unconformably with the sanctuary mosaics, and the new tapestry panels intended for behind the altar are God-awful and would suit only a kindergarten.
However, the building is a real gem.There is actually a modern pipe organ at the west end.
http://www.irishpipeorgans.com/gallery/PictureGallery.asp?path=Cork%2FCork+UCC+Honan/
IMHO I’m not sure that its really in keeping with the character of the chapel. As you can see from the photos, it would probably be very difficult to accomodate even a modest instrument like this in a gallery (assuming that the stained glass windows are not obscured).
