Saint Brigid's Church is an 18th-century Catholic church in Straffan, Ireland.[1]
Location
St. Brigid's Church is located in the centre of Straffan village, 900 m (½ mile) north of the River Liffey.[2]
History
St. Brigid's Church bears a foundation stone with the date "1786" and the church was consecrated on 28 August 1788.[3][4][5] The gates outside were added c. 1860.[6] St. Brigid's was renovated in 1913–15, with a Gothic Revival altar in white and red marble added, as well as the stained-glass windows in the west (probably by Joshua Clarke and Sons).[2]
The church was renovated in 1986 and rededicated by Archbishop of Dublin Kevin McNamara.[7]
Art and music
The church contains:
- Pentecost, a painting by Patrick Pye
- St Brigid Feeding the Poor, painting by Evie Hone
- an ambo, baptismal font and ambry pillar sculpted by Mark Ryan
- Ambry constructed by Jarlath Daly
- a Crucifixion triptych by Katsuya[8][9][7]
There is also a two-manual pipe organ. Originally built in Derby in 1914, it was moved to Straffan and rebuilt by Stephen Adams in 2019.[10]
Above the altar is a coved ceiling with acanthus-leaf centrepiece encircled by grape-laden vine tendrils. There are stucco hoodmouldings around the windows with ornamental stops.[2]
Building
St. Brigid's Church is a three-bay Catholic church on a T-shaped plan.[11]
References
- 1."Naas to Zouch Mill". 21 July 1868 – via Google Books.
- 2.[2.2][2.3]Tierney, Andrew (2019). The Buildings of Ireland: Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly. Yale University Press. p. 602. ISBN 9780300232042.
- 3."Architectural History". Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain. 21 July 2018 – via Google Books.
- 4.Brady, John (21 July 1965). "Catholics and Catholicism in the Eighteenth-century Press". Catholic Record Society of Ireland, St. Patrick's College – via Google Books.
- 5."Architectural History". Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain. 21 July 2018 – via Google Books.
- 6."Saint Brigid's Catholic Church, STRAFFAN, Straffan, KILDARE". Buildings of Ireland.
- 7.[7.2]Informational signs in the church.
- 8."Religious 1". Katsuya.
- 9."Religious 2". Katsuya.
- 10."Straffan, Co. Kildare". Stephen Adams Organbuilder.
- 11."Search Error: Buildings of Ireland: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage". www.buildingsofireland.ie.