| St Peter's Revisited |
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| Written by Con O'Callaghan | |
| Wednesday, 13 December 2006 | |
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As published in Rosscarbery Past & Present Volume 8 -- reproduced here courtesy of the author, Con O'Callaghan -- CJ
Every building needs some repair and decoration from time to time, otherwise it can look neglected. If a building is on the verge of celebrating its centenary, then father time will most certainly have taken its toll. This was the case with St Peter's Carrigfadda. In recent years this church had shown its years and looked in need of a face lift. Strangers passing by had commented on its condition. Locals had said will they ever do something to the church and improve its appearance. We have a strange habit of using the word "they" when something needs to be done and we would like to see others make the first move when in fact we all should be involved. This mysterious "they" have come to life, the church has a new roof and has been painted and looks well prepared to face into the future. The roofing was done by South West Construction under the direction of John & James McCarthy of Carrigfadda. They were impressed by the accuracy and correctness of the original builders the O'Donovans (Rinnce) from Rosscarbery. The painting done by Michael Murray has received many favourable comments. The passer by does not need a diploma in ecclesiology to realise that the church has improved greatly. The work has made the church very attractive, the size should make it ideal for most church ceremonies. If you are passing by, the exterior colouring of Foxfire and Fresco are bound to catch your eye and might tempt you to stop and move inside. The interior of Soft peach gives a very welcoming feeling The quietness experienced in the Church makes it a very suitable place to intercede with the Lord for some special favours. Every generation has a responsibility to maintain parish structures in good condition and the people of Carrigfadda can be satisfied that St Peters is in perfect condition for use as a place of worship in the twenty first century. Having the decor completed, it was decided that the waste space beside the Church could be put to better use if it was converted into a car park. Noel Collins did this work and all agree, this extra space will be useful for those special occasions when extra car parking is needed. As we are living in an age when church attendance is low, the use of smaller buildings might be the way to go forward. Small attendance at church is nothing new, back in 1794 William Blake wrote, "But if at the church they would give us some ale, and a pleasant fire our souls to regale; We'd sing and we'd pray all the live -long day; nor ever once wish from church to stray". |
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