Fearg
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@samuel j wrote:
With the Salt Air and continous gales we’ve been having, if something isn’t done soon there will be little wrought iron left and/or the finer detail will be rusted away
Has the Bishop gone into some form of a sulk seeing the ‘people’ spoke and would not let him get away with destroying the inside…… is this some form of silent protest by him to let St.Colmans rot…. if so it makes a mockery of collections for the restoration if not a penny is being spent on maintenance….
Its enough to make me want to go down there with a tin of hamerite myself!
At least the original ironwork is still there – on one of the side doors in Derry, it was replaced with some fake victoriana picked up at the local DIY store…@Praxiteles wrote:
Indeed, all very much part of the Irish Catholic Church’s response to Woodstock!!
There are very few benches left alright, I’m sure the nave seating capacity was reduced by half in the reordering. The aisles are also mostly empty now. As for sitting on the floor, the bare stone of the reordered sanctuary has now been covered in a very comfy looking thick pile carpet! Makes me mad, its probably one of the best McCarthy churches around, the nave arcade is magnificent – and the double aisles, surely they must be unique in Ireland?
@Praxiteles wrote:
This was the altar before it wrecked and demolished by Austin Flannery. I think that the relief depicts a version of the compianto sul Cristo morto very similar to John Hogan’s versions in Douglas CHurch in Cork, the Car,melite Church in Clarendon Street, Dublin and in the Cathedral of S. John’s in Nova Scotia.
What ever was gained by ripping off the raredos of this altar is quite beyond me – apart form vandalism of isaurian proportions.
Its got to be up there with Monaghan and Killarney in the top 3 worst reorderings in the country. The ceiling looks to be similar in concept to that of the chapel in maynooth – oil on canvas attached to the plaster – it would need a good cleaning though, its so grimy you can barely make out any detail at all.
Some recent shots of St Saviours in Dublin.
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@Praxiteles wrote:
This is what has happened to the sedilia in St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, Co. Cork
The sedilia is used for the priest clebrant of the Mass. It is situated in the Southn screen of the sanctuary, opposite the throne, and is raised on two steps. The sedilia is flanked by two other seats, one for the deacon, the other for the subdeacon. The arrangement is according to the Roman Rite: i.e. the priest sits in the middle with the deacon on his right and the sub-daecon on his left. The places are clearly marked by the carved panels on the screen above them.
The sedilia is in the form of a classical fald-stool which was taken by the Roman Pro-Consuls on their missions outside of Rome and indicated thier jurisdiction and authority when they sat in judgement.
The last administrator of the Cathedral, Fr. Gerry Casey, present PP of Doneraile, hit on the bright idea of taking the sedilia from the screen, nailing a brass band on to the back of it and using it as a seat for the someone presiding at Mass. The gap left in the original position of the Sedilia was filled by a WIlliam IV dining chair brought from the sacristy and re-upholstered to give the impression taht it had always been where it now is: the punters won’t notice sort of attitude.
How this vandalism goes on without the intervention of the Trustees of the Cathedral or that of the Cobh Urban District COuncil is just stunning!
Surely the dining chair would have been more comforable for the predider than that brass band! Why go to the trouble?? the mind simply boggles!
@Praxiteles wrote:
Here are some more examples of the deplorable state of the interior of St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, Co. Cork.
The first picture shows part of the ornamental mosaic floor in the Lady Chapel on top of which several benches have been dumped since the Easterly orientation of the benches in the transepts was changed. Another example fo a knock on effect.
The second picture shows the ornamental mosaci floor of the corresponding chapel of the Sacred Heart which is also used as a dumping ground for bencehes, clutter and general rubbish.
You’d think they could at least put that stuff out of sight up in the triforum or other non public areas.. if they got the dividers up there, I’m sure they could do same with benches. i suppose they should really just reinstate them where intended!
Some more shots of Cobh.. Baptistry seems to be one of the few areas which did not receive a stone vaulted ceiling..
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Looking up in the mortuary:
[ATTACH]3632[/ATTACH]Praxiteles wrote:In fact several of the plinths for the statues have never been filled. Most of the empty ones are on the North side]Prax, thanks for that! As usual, I should have done a little more research before posting – looks like both the north and south sides are mostly empty – strange how the least visible one of all is occupied – tucked away beside the tower…
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There are lots of little details on the exterior of Cobh which were not completed – however, I’m suspicious about the empty plinth on the parapet of the North Transept, does anyone know if there was ever a statue on it? note that the corresponding plinth on the south side is occupied..
@Praxiteles wrote:
Here we are Ake, some shots of St. Savour’s avant:
Such a shame – it was magnificent…
@Praxiteles wrote:
Yes, there is a whole set of interior pictures of St. Saviour’s, Dominic Street available earlier in this thread. I shall try to re-post some of them.
Similarly, has anyone had any luck in finding some pictures of Monaghan Cathedral in its pristine state?
@Praxiteles wrote:
Sam!
I am glad you raise th question of maintenance in Cobh Catedral. I cannot get over how the place has degenerated in the last couple of years into a complete kip. No one would ever imagine that millions have been spent on a restoration. Rubbish is scattered all over the building and a general untidyness is more than evident throughout. Basic repiars have been done and an overall neglect is evident – despite all the guff coming for the Trustees about the wonderful heritage building they are responsible for. I do not know whetehr others have noticed this?
First thing they need to do is clear away all the junk they have propped against the windows in the chamber above the baptistry – gives a very untidy first impression. I also saw the dust Sam speaks of, when I was there in October.
You can just about see some of the junk I’m talking about in the following photo, look at the window to left of shot.
[ATTACH]3601[/ATTACH]Modern Ulster Architecture: New Book
New thread was started on this subject today – what might be of interest to regulars on this thread, is that the book contains articles on many of Liam McCormick’s churches from the 60s and 70s, many of which have been discussed here. Including Burt, Steelstown (tent) and Glenties..
Hi Archangel,
I know St Gabriels, its a fine church – I heard a rumour that a fair proportion of the pews were sold off a few years ago – to create a “gathering space”? Can you confirm this?Thanks,
Fearg.@MrX wrote:
I always think Stormont Castle is more of a “Mr Bryne’s Mannor” type of a building:
It seems to be almost purposely built to look imposing and scary.
There’s a 1 mile driveway, it’s not in the city centre and the building itself is on a mound!
Thats actually Parliament Buildings – not Stormont Castle!
@Praxiteles wrote:
I really wonder whether someone working in the early 21st. century is in a position to recognise spelling mistakes in the Lain inscriptions of the late 19th century. Put the other way around, is someone in the late 19th century working on Latin inscriptions likely to have made mistakes? I also wonder whether their 21st. century successors are aware of the complex transmission history of several texts of even the Sixto-Clementine edition of the Vulgate from which these inscriptions are almst certainly taken? However, we shall see.
As to caboshing poor Archbishop Brady, I should have thought it more than enough to leave him without the galero!
Book makes out that the 19th century artists must “not have been educated men”.. I would be sceptical as well..
@Praxiteles wrote:
Who, other than our corresponding fiend Brian Quinn, tendered a project for the re-reordering (it is beginning to sound a bit like regicideicide) ?
Were submissions judged by a committee?
What august personages sat on that committee -if there were one?
What criteria were used to access the submissions made?
[can we have the publishing details of this latest book?]
Book mentions the following firms:
P&B Gregory’s, Tracey McCormack & Mullarkey, Rooney McConvilleCommittee is listed in the appendices.
Interestingly, Bill Early was responsible for restoring the ceiling. Some spelling mistakes were found in the latin inscruiptions discussed earlier in the thread. Bill also restored the murals in the synod hall and using artistic license, replaced the head on one of the central figures with that of Archbishop Brady!
The book also makes apparent that the former auxilliary – Bishop Lennon was perhaps the main champion of the 1982 changes, he delivered the homily at the rededication, rather than Cardinal O’Fiach.
“the story of St patrick’s Cathedral Armagh and its Prelates” jack O’Hare – printed by Trimprint Ltd, Armagh. No ISBN #
More Info on the 2002/2003 Restoration/ Reordering of Armagh Cathedral.
According to a new book (by Jack O’Hare) published this year to commemorate the restoration, the original intention of the work was simply to restore the fabric of the building and that the 1982 McCormack sanctuary was to have been reinstated. It was only during the course of the work that a decision was made to install a new sanctuary. A brief chronology is as follows:
January 2002 – Cathedral Closes for major structural repairs/restoration. All interior fittings are removed to storage at this time. The granite floor of the sanctuary was included in this removal, revealing the remains of the 1904 mosaic floor, however this was deemed irrepairable.
Spring 2002, growing desire to re-order the sancutary, Architectural firms asked to submit their proposals for a “fresh approach”.
May 2002 – Rooney and McConville design chosen.
Summer 2002 – consultation meetings held.
September 2002 – Desicion made to go ahead with the reordering.
May 25th 2003 – Cathedral reopened.Comments please!
