A Brief History of the Sacred Heart Church, Templemore.
In the 1860s Dr. Tom O’Connor P.P. decided to build a new church to replace the one built by Fr. Fant in 1815. In December 1864 he acquired a suitable site from Sir John Carden on Monck Street, later Hospital Street. An Erasmus Smith school for boys, which closed in 1861, had occupied the site. Monck Street seems to have run from McDonagh Tce. to the church, now known as Church Road. A field in the vicinity was also leased, which is now the cemetery. The Fenian Insurrection delayed the commencement of building the church. Fr. O’Connor died in 1867 and his nephew, Fr. Tom O’Connor was appointed parish priest in 1872. Building work began in 1876. The cruciform shaped church in Gothic style was designed by Mr. George C. Ashlin, a renowned ecclesiastical architect. Mr. Newstead of Fermoy was contracted to build the shell of the church for £8,000. Archbishop Croke took a keen interest in the project and laid the foundation stone on 1st January 1877.
Limestone quarried nearby was used. The nave and aisles were divided by polished pillars of red Aberdeen granite and Caen stone was used for internal dressings. The high altar was of Sicilian and Irish marbles, Our Lady’s altar of Caen stone, Sicilian and Irish marble and St Joseph’s of Sicilian and Galway marbles. The stained-glass windows are particularly beautiful, donated by clergy and parishioners. They are the works of such studios as Mayer of Munich, Watsons of Youghal, Early of Dublin and the Harry Clarke School. Fr. O’Connor died in 1882 and was succeeded by Father William Meagher who saw to the completion of the building. The church, still without its spire, was opened for worship in 1883, with the first Mass celebrated on July 28th. Over £12,000 had been expended. Parishioners, aided by the clergy and the archbishop, made substantial contributions. Father T. J. Mackey, a native of College Hill, collected £2,400 in America, mainly in Grand Rapids, where he was a priest.
Fr. Meagher undertook the building of the spire and sacristy and the decorating and furnishing of the church. In 1907 the spire, with its crocketed pinnacles, and the sacristy, built by Mr. John Nesbitt, Templemore, were completed. The church, free of debt, was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on 21st September 1929, a day of great celebration in the town. Canon Denis O’Brien, 1926 – 1948, installed electric lighting and Canon Fogarty P.P. 1948 – 1974, installed oil fired central heating to replace the original steam system. He also organized new lighting but retained the fixtures which had supported paraffin oil lamps.
Following the Second Vatican Council some refurbishments were undertaken by Canon William Noonan to comply with modern liturgical needs. The table of the high altar was moved forward and made wider; the pulpit was removed and redesigned as the ambo. The organ was reconstructed in 1981. In 1983, the parish celebrated the centenary of the church. A booklet was produced by Paul P. Walsh, Eilís Ní Mheachair and Fr. Michael Walshe C.C. which provided a very comprehensive church history in the Templemore area.
The Millennium Project 2000-20002 involved significant work on the roof of the church and painting of the interior. Canon Gus O’Donnell and Canon Liam McNamara oversaw this work, carried out by Mr. Tim Sheedy. Some of the original designs on the walls were restored at this time. In 2016 work was carried out on the organ and it was rededicated in memory of Fr. James Foley, a native of the town, whose family and friends sponsored this work. Many of the stained-glass windows were restored by Aria studios, Claregalway in 2017. These treasured windows are now resplendent in our beautiful church.
- Reference Templemore Clonmore Killlea Review 2017
References
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Inventory of Architectural Heritage | VIEW SOURCE |
