Parish art heritage noted in '2018 and Beyond' document

The William Pearse main altar.

Did you know that all the altars in Kilcullen Parish Church were made by the renowned church sculptor William Pearse, father of the 1916 Rising leader Padraig Pearse? writes Brian Byrne.

Or that all but one of the stained glass windows in the church were made by the father of the very famous stained glass artist Harry Clarke, Joshua Clarke?

Windows by artist Joshua Clarke.

These are but two elements of Kilcullen's very fine church art heritage noted in a document presented to the Parish Pastoral Council recently by one of its members, Peter Moloney.

'Kilcullen Parish, going forward 2018 & Beyond' is an outline proposal covering a range of issues relating mainly to physical, archaeological, artistic and musical matters of the Parish. But it also looks towards a future of fewer or even no priests and how that concern might be addressed.

It details possibilities of how to find funds for urgent repairs and maintenance to the parish church and the parochial house, development of the choirs and the restoration of the organ, and work which needs to be carried out in the Parish's other church at Gormanstown.

The John White organ.

A view of current discussions between the Diocese and the developer of the adjacent land is also given, relating to the Church Car Park and the possibility of a new house for a priest, and provision of services to the Parish property.

'Kilcullen Parish, going forward 2018 & Beyond' will be published in its entirety in the upcoming March issue of 'The Bridge'.

The Fr Egan altar.

The art and artefacts of the Parish Church were catalogued by the Diocese in 2001, and a similar survey of Gormanstown Church was carried out in 2005.