St. Finbarr's South, also known as the South Chapel, is an 18th century church in Cork in Ireland.[1] Constructed in 1766 as the "first Catholic church built in Cork since before the Reformation",[2] the Penal-era church was deliberately built to be relatively unimposing.[3][4] It is the oldest Catholic church still in use in Cork city,[4][5] and is the parish church of St Finbarr's South parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cork and Ross.[6] The church is included in the Record of Protected Structures maintained by Cork City Council.[7]
| St. Finbarr's South | |
|---|---|
 Facade and entrance to St Finbarr's South Church | |
 | |
| 51°53′39″N 8°28′18″W / 51.8943°N 8.4716°W | |
| Location | Dunbar Street, Cork |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | Finbar of Cork |
| Architecture | |
| Years built | 1766 (main structure), 1809 (transept added) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Cork and Ross |
Built of local limestone and red sandstone,[8] the church was commissioned by the then parish priest, Daniel Albert O'Brien, to replace an existing thatched building.[9] O'Brien, who had been appointed as parish priest and vicar general in 1760 by the then Bishop of Cork, Richard Walsh, was a member of the Dominican Order.[2] O'Brien was succeeded as parish priest, in 1774, by Francis Moylan (later Bishop of Cork).[9]
Originally built to an "L" shape,[5] the church was extended and an additional transept was added in 1809.[1] The main altar holds a statue, known as The Dead Christ, which was sculpted by John Hogan (1800–1858).[8] A painting of the crucifixion, behind the altar, is attributed by some sources to the artist John O'Keeffe (c.1797–1838).[10] The church was further extended in the 1860s, and additional work undertaken on the altar, in the 1870s, by ecclesiastical architect George Goldie (1828–1887).[2]
Notable parishioners include John Stanislaus Joyce, who was baptised in the church in 1849.[11] Other former parishioners include educator Nano Nagle, hospital founder Mary Aikenhead, military general Daniel O'Leary, sculptor John Hogan and Arctic explorer Jerome Collins.[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "St Finbarr's South, Dunbar Street, Cork City, Cork". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ a b c O'Callaghan, Antóin (2016). The Churches of Cork City: An Illustrated History. Dublin: The History Press Ireland. ISBN 978-1-84588-893-0.
- ^ "Cork Walks - South Parish" (PDF). corkcity.ie. Cork City Council. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
When the South Chapel was built during the Penal Times in 1766 it would have been tucked away at the end of this lane and also set back from the front of the lane so as to be as inconspicuous as possible
- ^ a b "Buildings in the South Parish, Cork". South Parish Historical Society. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024.
- ^ a b "St. Finbarr's South Church". discoverireland.ie. Fáilte Ireland. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "St Finbarr's South". corkandross.org. Diocese of Cork and Ross. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Part 2 - Record of Protected Structures", Cork City Development Plan - Volume 3 - Built Heritage Objectives, Cork City Council, p. 134, retrieved 10 February 2024
- ^ a b "Church Building". Church of St. Finbarr South. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ a b Dwyer, James Alphonsus (1896). The Dominicans of Cork City and County. Cork: Guy and Co. pp. 17–18.
Richard Walsh, bishop of Cork, entrusted to Father [Daniel Albert] O'Brien the pastoral charge of the South Parish [..] Finding that the chapel, a thatched building [..] was unfit for Divine worship, the good pastor [..] undertook to erect the present parish church, which he completed in 1766 [..] he resigned the parish in 1774, and was succeeded by Dr. Francis Moylan
- ^ Cahalane, P. (1943). "The Catholic Parish Churches of Cork" (PDF). Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society. 48 (167): 27.
- ^ "Portrait of the artist on Leeside: Eight ways James Joyce is connected to Cork". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
John Stanislaus, the father of James Joyce [..] was baptised in St Finbarr's South Chapel on 6th July 1849
- ^ Lantry, Margaret (2016). A History of St Finbarr's Church, Cork, 1766-2016. HarmoodWeston. ISBN 9780995609006.