MilestoneasKilmurrayChurch reopensaftertwoyears’work
THE historic Kilmurray Church in Newtownmountkennedy has reopened to the public again after two years of painstaking stabilisation and conservation work.
The project was finally realised after five years of sustained local fundraising by Newtownmountkennedy and District Tidy Towns Association.
Vital support also came from Wicklow County Council’s ‘Buildings at Risk’ fund, directed by County Heritage Officer, Deirdre Burns. Additional funds were awarded under the ‘Built Heritage Investment Scheme’ operated by the Department of the Environment.
Robert Byrne was involved in the project from the start and says: ‘We would like to thank the many local people, who supported the project, and in particular local Tenor Darren Mooney, who hosted his memorable sell-out concert last year in St. Matthews to boost funds. A word of thanks is also due to our biggest parish donor, who wishes to remain anonymous.’
Local architect, and Tidy Towns member, Huw O’Toole, oversaw the works, which were specified by Dermot Nolan Conservation Engineers, and carried out under instruction by Rainey’s conservation masons.
The works included rebuilding the Gothic arches, removing killing organic growth, resetting the bell cote, removing vegetation, crowning adjacent trees, resetting collapsing vault arches and flaunching the top of the perimeter walls. There is also a planned Phase 3 to roof the small sacristy to provide shelter for visitors.
Kilmurray Church, dedicated to St Catherine, was built in the 1760s on a serene site, overlooking Newtownmountkennedy and the Wicklow Coast.
The church served Newtownmountkennedy, Kilpedder, Delgany, Roundwood and surrounding areas.
It is of rubble construction and was built in two phases. Its design is quite similar to the church at Kilquade, and may date from the same period.
On August 23, 1799, the crown forces and militia set fire to Kilmurray church in retaliation for the uprising in the town.
Local tradition has it that Thady Byrne from Kilmurray, to the astonishment of the Cork militia, dashed into the burning church, broke open the tabernacle, took the chalice and escaped through the fire and smoke.
This historic c360 year old chalice is still in use in St Joseph’s Church, on Newtown’s Main Street, today.
Almost immediately after the burning the local people started the process of rebuilding the church.
In the 1820s, Lord Rossmore of Mountkennedy House, who was thought to be distancing himself from the atrocities of the Crown Forces, towards the people, helped greatly in sourcing funding from Government redress schemes, to rebuild the church.
Kilmurray church, however, started to lose members, with the building of new churches in Newtownmountkennedy and Roundwood, in the 1860s. Local lore cites another reason for the ultimate decline of the church. At that time local farmers gave the priest barrels of oats (14 stone ) or cocks of hay for his horse instead of money. These donations were read out from the altar for all to hear, ‘Farmer A one cock of hay, Farmer B one barrel of oats’ etc.
On one occasion a rather undiplomatic priest was being sarcastic and read out: ‘Farmer A one cock of rushes, Farmer B two cocks of rushes, Farmer C one cock of nettles and one cock of thistles’, and so on. The parishioners were insulted, and many never came back, resulting in the eventual closure of the church.
The contents were sold or given to other churches, and the church fell into disuse. It is thought the bell went to Greystones.
The impressive cross, presently over the high altar in St Joseph’s church, came from Kilmurray. Its figure of Christ had a secret cavity in which the Blessed Sacrament was hidden during Penal Times.
Over the years the church fell into ruin and was completely covered with ivy. Around 1970 Fr. Finn organized local people to remove the ivy, and Oliver Martin built an altar. An annual mass was celebrated on this altar, for many years, and the Martin Family continued to look after the church, until the ruin was deemed unsafe for the public, and was fenced off.
Five years ago the Newtown- mountkennedy and District Tidy Towns Association, entered the scene and took on the challenge of stabilizing the ruin and making it safe for public assembly once again.
The graveyard nearest the church, has many interesting old grave stones. On the far side of the church, there is, surprisingly, just one stone, but there are very many people buried here in unmarked graves.
Now focus moves to the roofworks required to the small sacristy. Contact any member of Newtownmountkennedy Tidy Towns if you would like to be associated with this ongoing project.
Robert add: ‘We will now be able to hold the blessing of the grave inside the walls of Kilmurray Church after so many years. We offer our thanks to all who helped, in the past, as well as in recent times, to preserve this unique place for the people of Newtownmountkennedy, and of County Wicklow.’