Praxiteles
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The interior of Thurles Cathedral with Giacomo della Porta’s ciborio on teh High Altar. Clearly Archbishop Leahy had a much more refined aesthetic sense than those responsible for the sawing apart of the High Altar and the installation of eccentric paraphenalia such as green bottles into the liturgical space.
And a closer image of the High Altar with the sanctuary arranged for Solemn Vespers:
And what must be a very rare view of the retroaltar:
St Mel’s Cathedral, Longford
What can be said here but another sad monument to mindless vandalism:
and this is what is left:
This is a most important picture of the interior of the North Cathedral in Cork showing its interior before the initially hacked by Boyd Barrett in 1962 -who demolished the reredos of the High Altar and wrecked the work of John Hogan, and the funerary monuments of Giuseppe Turnarelli – and the appalling vandalism practiced in 1997 on the Cathedral by Hacker Hurley and team drawn from the liturgically beknighted. The pictues is also important for its affords a good view of teh stensicl work of the ceiling installed in 1827 by the Payne brothers – and which the Hacker Hurley, no doubt “rescuing Vatican II from the ashes”, as he puts it, stripped the paint from all the original timber work.
And this is how Hacker Hurley, “saving Vatican II from the ashes”, left the North Cathedral:
And another one showing teh west facade built in the late 1880s by Barry McMullan of Cork and the west door which has been armed with its magnificent strappwork which was designed by G. c. Ashlin between November 1888 and January 1890. The designs were executed by James Fagan and Sons of Dublin. The detail fo the plans drawn up by Ashlin for this metal work is quite incredible and exhibits a thorough knowledge and understanding of French medieval ironwork – which betwen 1840 and 1870 had been well publicised by A.N. Didron in his Annales Archéologique. It is fairly clear that the metal work here has that of the north door of the west facade of Notre Dame in paris as a prototype. Unfortunately, the present conservation officer in Cork Conty Council cannot bring herself to nothing more than “hinges” in this superb peice of work. That of course such attention should be lavished on the west door comes as no surprise as it symbolizes Christ ans his logion “I am the door” which was said in reference to teyh temple in Jerusalem. Again as in cases of elaborated armament of doors in medieval French Cathedrals, the door is overlooked by the Christ in his majesty – just as we see here but with all sorts of local and particular details. On the symbolism of the door and its being the way through which we enter the Church (and church) more can bee seen in William Durandus’ Rationale Divinorum Officiorum, part one.
Same door a little later with the steps completed but teh tromeau remains empty and teh flanking statues of St Joseph and St John the Baptist have not yet appeared.
This is another interior view of Cobh possibly about 1900. It shows the walls behind the High Altar have been completed, teh windows glazed and teh credence tables installed.
And here we have the High Altar in Cobh, erected in 1894 to the dsign of G.C. Ashlin and the execution of Early and Powell of Dublin. The sanctuary floor has been laid, the windows have not been glazed, the credence tables (one of which has been wrecklessly vandalised) have not been installed and the choirs of angels on teh walls flanking the altar have not been installed. The candlesticks on teh High Altar are by Hardman’s of Bermingham -the sconces were made in Dublin while the shafts and bases were made in Bermingham. They were assembled in Dublin. Thanks to and Bord Pleanala, everything still is as it was.
This is an important picture of St John’s Cathedral in Waterford showing the stencil scheme probably painted by Hodkinsons. Note too the magnificent pulpit with its canopy and the what must be the most important set of choir stalls in the country -imported from france during the the revolution- and correctly placed at either side of the sanctuary in front of the High Altar. These haave been stupidly and in an act of liturgical senselessness moved to the side walls.
The interior of Newrey cahedral in the late 19century apparently before Ashlin extended the sanctuary:
And another sad monument to the wanton vandalism of the 1970s – the interior of St Mary’s Cathedral Killarney, Co. Kerry inj the late 19th century while it was still being completed. Please note the the brass chandeliere hanging from the arch on the right hand side. This is one of a set of 14 made by Hardman’s of bermingham for the nave of Kilarney. they were unceremoniously dumped by the wrecker Casey in the 1970s. Fortunately, they were salvaged by someone in expectation of better days. Just this spring, Hardmann’s of Bermingham repaired and restored and re-hung these chandelieres in Killarney Cathedral.
And this is all that remains:
