Carrigkerry Church.
St Mary's Church, Carrigkerry, was built in 1878 on a site donated by the Stack Family and with the help of a generous gift of £800.00 from the local landlord Mr McNamara.
It was dedicated to St Mary. Due to legalities, a deed had to be written up. A copy of this deed, in the possession of Fr Dan Lane PP, tells us that the area of the site was one rood and twelve perches. The legal rent stated on the deed was one penny sterling annually. The composition of the soil demanded that the foundations, which were laid on pitch pine planks, had to be twelve feet deep.
The very beautiful cut stone building was erected with material drawn from Moig Quarry near Shanagolden. Horse and cart using voluntary labour drew all the stone. In the early years people worshipped on a gravelled floor. The workmen who built the church were Michael O'Brady, Tommy Barrett, Bill Taylor, Ned Dalton, Tom Hannafin, Dan Aherne, Denis Hayes, and Bill Dalton.
Fr Sheehan, who was parish priest in 1895, donated the Stations of the Cross and is also credited with laying the first floor in the church. The erection of the gallery and the installation of the seats took place under Fr. Reeves who was parish priest in 1916. The church was completely renovated, blessed and re-opened on August 21, 1987.
A marble altar, chair, lectern, tabernacle, pedestal, and credence table were installed on October 14th 1989, with sincere thanks to the Oblate Fathers, Dublin for donating the marble for the altar and to the parishioners of Ardagh/Carrigkerry for their generosity. Many other improvements have been made to the church since then and today the building is still one of the finest cut stone buildings in the diocese. St Mary's church is now a listed building.
The windows in the church are all plain. There is a statue to Sacred Heart on the left of the church while there is a statue to Mary on the right of the altar. One feature of particular interest in the parish today involves both churches. Radio transmitters have been placed in both churches and each week mass is broadcast for those that are housebound but still want to partake in the parish mass. The parish also donated the radio receivers to those to whom the scheme applied.
LOCAL MASS TIMES:
St Colman's Church, Kilcolman, Ardagh
Photo courtesy of: Bridie Murphy Photography
Shared on IrelandXO by:
St Kieran's Heritage Association
