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LOCAL CHURCHES |
Local Churches St. Feithlimidh's Cathedral, Kilmore Coronea Church |
The Church of the Immaculate Conception at Coronea stands
at the foot of Bruse hill, on the Arva-Cornafean road, and is built of local
green stone, with Newry granite dressings, which make a very pleasant contrast.
It is a nave church of Gothic design, and the deeply-recessed front entrance,
which faces the Arva road, is surmounted by a graceful cut-stone belfry, in
which is hung the bell of the old church of Coronea.
Under the belfry is a beautiful cut-stone tracery window which throws light into the nave and gallery. The nave measures 72 feet by 32 feet wide by 40 feet to ridge, is lighted by eight cusped lancet windows and four cusped circular windows, and divided from the spacious sanctuary and two side chapels by three richly moulded arches carried on cluster columns. Adjoining the side porch is a very complete and suitably situated baptistry. The priests' sacristy, measuring 13 feet by 15 feet, is conveniently situated, well lighted and approached from the exterior through a porch off which is a boys' sacristy of suitable dimensions. The nave gives accommodation for about 600 and the spacious gallery for about another 100.
There are two recessed confessionals, and the church is complete in every respect, including beautiful marble and Caen stone high altar and side altars. The rubble stone, gravel, sand and lime were supplied by the parishioners. The contract was placed in the hands of Mr. Felix O’Hare, Warrenpoint, in April 1923, and ably assisted by his competent foreman, Mr. M’Avinchy, he has carried out the designs of Messrs William H. Byrne and Son, architects, Dublin, in a most successful manner, including the confessionals, seating, gallery and furnishing generally. The altars were executed by Mr. Edmund Sharpe of Dublin from the designs of the architects, the iron work, including altar rails and gates, by Messrs J. and C. M’Gloughlin, Dublin, and the enclosing walls surrounding site were built by Mr. B. Bearer, Gowna.
Liturgical reform in the years following Vatican II brought
radical structural changes to the interior of many older churches. Fortunately,
alterations at Coronea were minimal. The rearranging of the altar and sanctuary
was tastefully designed and would surely have met with the approval of Fr.
Judge's aesthetic eye, while the introduction of central heating and carpeting
has added greatly to the comfort of the congregation. The people of Coronea can
reflect with pride on their church after sixty years and feel they have indeed
worthy cause for celebration.
The Church of the Immaculate Conception at Coronea replaced an old church which was built in the townland of Coronea in 1798 within sight of the Penal Mass rock of Drumyouth. The original church was a small thatched building, but was enlarged and slated by Rev. Edmond O'Reilly around 1800.
In the early 1820's Coronea church became a noted place of pilgrimage, when Rev. Patrick McCabe was parish priest. He got the Lough Derg privileges for it to suit the people who would be unable to visit Lough Derg themselves. So the practice arose of performing the Lough Derg exercises at Coronea.
An eye-witness in 1826 describes the scene at Coronea in the following terms: 'The (people) cut circles and figures in the chapel floor and walls inside, with coal, chalk, etc., and in imitation of the beds, crosses, altars, stones, etc., at Lough Derg gave mystic names to, and adopted the forms and number of prayers to be repeated . . .' He goes on to describe the plan of the 'station' . . . 'a large painted cross was hung on the wall at the right of the altar. Three circles are marked on the same side with a little opening left for the pilgrim to go in and out. Fronting the altar is a large circle dedicated to St. Patrick. On the left hand side of it there are three smaller circles.' And so the description goes on showing how the parallel between Lough Derg and Coronea was made. The numbers converging on Coronea increased and hundreds came from neighbouring parishes every year for the pilgrimage. This custom of doing the 'station' at Coronea continued down to the present century and is still remembered by some of the older residents of the area.
When the old church was demolished in 1926 the bell was transported to the new one on a donkey and cart. The statues of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady also came from the old church, while the slates were used on the outoffices at the priests' house. The stones were also carted to the site of the new church and used to make paths and fill drains.
The foundation stone of the new church was blessed on 6th September 1925 by Most Rev. Dr. Finnegan and the church was officially opened and dedicated by him on 10th October 1926.
Credit for this fine church goes to Fr. James Judge, parish priest, who was also responsible for the building of Coronea school in 1927 and the priest's; house in 1929.
In a document preserved in the diocesan archives he gives the cost of Coronea church as follows:
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COST |
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| Estimate of voluntary work by people, carting sand, lime, stones, etc., and other work in connection with the site | £590 |
| Total | £12,230 |
The local stone came from Greer's quarry, Gartylough, while the sand was raised at Corr's sandpit, Legaginney.
Father James Judge was born in Shercock, the son of an RIC policeman. When his father retired he bought a farm at Cashel, near Ballinagh. Fr. Judge was ordained on 24th June 1890. He was appointed parish priest of Killeshandra in 1915, having served as President of St. Patrick's College, Cavan, from 1903.
During his fourteen years as parish priest he undertook and saw to completion one of the most extraordinary building programmes ever witnessed in the diocese of Kilmore.
Fr. Judge's reputation as a fund-raiser is legendary. The Sweepstake, which,was his original idea, was started in 1919 to raise funds for Coronea church. Not only did it achieve its aim, but it brought in enough money to clear all his other building projects. The interest on the surplus was sufficient to provide the revenue for an extra priest in the parish to reside at Coronea.
Fr. Judge was transferred to Crosserlough in 1929, where he died on 9th December 1942.