Favourite church?

newmug

I love churches. Of all shapes and sizes. Sometimes for the architecture, sometimes for the location, but more often than not, for the sense of peace and reverence you find inside. So, as the title says, where is your favourite church?

I think mine is the one in Maynooth University. It is magnificent. It even has a little balcony like you'd see on tele.

Close second is Trim church. A relative worked on the building of it in the 1800's. He said it was paid for by the people of Trim, and it was basically two fingers to the brits, who obviously were primarily protestant.

Third would be the one in Navan hospital. Its small and neglected looking, but the sense of hope and closeness you get there when thinking about all the families who prayed for their sick and dying loved ones in that little space. It feels like Christmas.

So, where's yours?

katydid

newmug wrote: »

I love churches. Of all shapes and sizes. Sometimes for the architecture, sometimes for the location, but more often than not, for the sense of peace and reverence you find inside. So, as the title says, where is your favourite church?

I think mine is the one in Maynooth University. It is magnificent. It even has a little balcony like you'd see on tele.

Close second is Trim church. A relative worked on the building of it in the 1800's. He said it was paid for by the people of Trim, and it was basically two fingers to the brits, who obviously were primarily protestant.

Third would be the one in Navan hospital. Its small and neglected looking, but the sense of hope and closeness you get there when thinking about all the families who prayed for their sick and dying loved ones in that little space. It feels like Christmas.

So, where's yours?

I love Christ the King RC church in Turner's Cross, Cork. Built in the late 20's, it was years ahead of its time in its architecture. The statue of Jesus on the front is breathtaking

http://www.tonyoconnell.ie/products/Christ_the_King_Church.jpg

St. John the Baptist CofI church, Annestown, in Waterford. Very plain on the outside; inside, simple wooden pews painted a light eggshell green. Makes you feel so calm and prayerful

http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/images/survey_specific/fullsize/22814002_1.jpg

honeybear

Went to a wedding in Gougane Barra...wow!

katydid

honeybear wrote: »

Went to a wedding in Gougane Barra...wow!

I've never been inside the church, but the setting is beautiful

johnny osbourne

...

Manach

Gougane Barra++
but also the UCC Honan Chapel. Very nice ambiance.

newmug

@ johnny osbourne, your post is gone!?!?!?

johnny osbourne

church of santa maria del mar, salou, spain

hinault

Yeah, when I visit a location where I've never been, I like to visit the various places of worship in that locality.

One of my favourite churches is John's Lane. I used to attend there daily weekdays. The stain glass windows make the experience of being in the presence of God more tangible.

There is a lovely church in Cahireciveen named after Daniel O'Connell which I really like.

The chapel at Glencairn Abbey in Lismore is beautiful. It is a typical Cistercian design.

Some beautiful churches in monasteries throughout France.

martingriff

The redemptorists church in Limerick is very nice and a good atmosphere in it

katydid

hinault wrote: »

There is a lovely church in Cahireciveen named after Daniel O'Connell which I really like.

I read that first as Daniel O'Donnell...

Seriously though, a church named after a non-religious person, a politician to boot? Never heard of such a thing.

Peregrinus

katydid wrote: »

I read that first as Daniel O'Donnell...

Seriously though, a church named after a non-religious person, a politician to boot? Never heard of such a thing.

I have.

In fact, a couple of them.

And it's not just Anglicans who do this kind of thing!

katydid

Peregrinus wrote: »

I have.

In fact, a couple of them.

And it's not just Anglicans who do this kind of thing!

Goodness, that's new to me!

I'm not sure what it says when you name a church after a guy of whom it was said that if you threw a stone over any workhouse wall in Ireland, you'd hit one of his illegitimate children... :-)

hinault

Peregrinus wrote: »

I have.

In fact, a couple of them.

And it's not just Anglicans who do this kind of thing!

I visited Cahirciveen 5 years ago and when I went in to that church, the local priest spotted the stranger. He introduced himself and he spent about 30 minutes giving me a tour of the church and explaining it's history to me.

The church building was being extended during mid 1800's.
The Bishop of Kerry at the time petitioned Pope Leo asking him to allow the diocese to name the church after the Great Liberator.
Church tradition stipulated that every parish church be named after a Catholic saint.
But Leo, knowing of O'Connell's work on behalf of the Catholic people of this part of the world, waived the rule and permitted the Diocese of Kerry to name the church after Daniel O'Connell.

The name of the priest who gave me that insight?
One Father Billy Crean. He was promoted to Bishop of Cloyne recently:)

Peregrinus

katydid wrote: »

Goodness, that's new to me!

I'm not sure what it says when you name a church after a guy of whom it was said that if you threw a stone over any workhouse wall in Ireland, you'd hit one of his illegitimate children... :-)

Well, we are a church of sinners, Katydid!

(But lots of saints have had illegitimate children - Augustine, for example. It's not a disqualification from all virtue.)

(For the record, while lots of colourful stories about O'Connell's romantic life were assiduously circulated during his life, actual evidence of any affairs or illegitimate children is sparse. And such stories circulated about all public figures during the regency period; the press had just discovered that sex sells.)

KatyMac

The Church of All Nations, Jerusalem! My father was there in 1950 and I've a photo of him standing against one of the pillars at the door and I was there in 1990 and got a pic of myself at the exact spot.

me_right_one

Love the Cathedral in Mullingar. It has a special place in my heart.

hinault

me_right_one wrote: »

Love the Cathedral in Mullingar. It has a special place in my heart.

Saint Mel's Cathedral?

I watched the TV programme about it's restoration and it is a place which I intend to visit.

feargale

katydid wrote: »

I read that first as Daniel O'Donnell...

Seriously though, a church named after a non-religious person, a politician to boot? Never heard of such a thing.

It's unique in that respect in Ireland.

lottpaul

Cahersiveen parish church is officially the "Daniel O'Connell memorial church of the Holy Cross" so perhaps the "dual" naming gets around all problems associated with naming a church after a lay person etc. An impressive building but to me it has always seemed too big and out of place in a small town like Cahersiveen - just in the sense of scale -it's a massive building on the side of the street in what was then just a small and remote town.

http://cahersiveenparish.com/history-of-the-oconnell-memorial-church

It's upkeep must be a huge drain on the parish.

But then, Cahersiveen had a history of unusual buildings -- this was the old RIC/police station in the town .... http://www.theoldbarracks.com/

pwurple

Heh, my two favourites are already here!

The Honan Chapel, UCC
That floor!


and Christ the King in Turners Cross

katydid

pwurple wrote: »

Heh, my two favourites are already here!

The Honan Chapel, UCC
That floor!


and Christ the King in Turners Cross

My grandparents were married in Christ the King, and my mother was baptised and married there. I have great affection for the place, and still remember the awe I felt as a kid when we went in through that magnificent portal

pwurple

katydid wrote: »

My grandparents were married in Christ the King, and my mother was baptised and married there. I have great affection for the place, and still remember the awe I felt as a kid when we went in through that magnificent portal

I know, a lot of my favourite churches have personal memories attached as well. I'm very fond of St Augustine's in Cork city center as well, because that's where my dad used to bring us a lot as children.

New Home

I love St. John's Church in Tubbercurry, it's quite small but it has gorgeous stained glass windows, dark, carved wooden beams, the walls are painted pale green, and it feels very welcoming.

And I also love the mosaics in the Church of the Sacred Heart in Roscommon town.

katydid

pwurple wrote: »

I know, a lot of my favourite churches have personal memories attached as well. I'm very fond of St Augustine's in Cork city center as well, because that's where my dad used to bring us a lot as children.

Ah yes, I remember that well. I used to go to Guide and Scout services there.

flahers

Pro cathedral and Whitefriar street Dublin

feargale

EvSenn wrote: »

Sagrada Familia. Stunning.

I took my wife to see it. Entry cost a good bit of money. She complained that we paid good money to see a building site.

Mrs OBumble

Church in my books = people of God, so I'm not sure why you guys are all talking about buildings.

But my favourite building is this little gem in Waterville, Kerry - for sheer humility and simplicity. Reflects the essence of the Christian message far better than the grandest cathedral, IMHO.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.8246954,-10.1719171,3a,75y,77.09h,73.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMtEMNVZCYnjwNH-Mw8P5VA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Thinkingaboutit

St Patrick's Church Newport has the fine Harry Clarke windows but they are part of a very fine Celtic Romanesque ensemble. The location atop that hill is fantastic.

http://www.newportmayo.ie/h-church.html

feargale

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Church in my books = people of God, so I'm not sure why you guys are all talking about buildings.

If Mr Stalin and his friends had taken that on board there wouldn't be any left in Russia.

Roger Buck

Has to be Armagh Cathedral (the Catholic one) - stunning decor inside.

And a grand exterior.

It might have been Monaghan Cathedral, with its soaring Chartres like Gothic windows - but they totally wrecked the inside.

Horrible beyond belief. The worst spirit of Vatican II wreckovation I have ever seen. Like a UFO flew in scattering alien weird alien objects that have no relation to nor harmony with the Gothic splendour.

Thank God Armagh has not been ruined. But IMHO they ruined the best Cathedral I have seen in this country (and I have sen nearly all).