Survey Data
Reg No
13313011
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Social
Original Use
Church/chapel
In Use As
Church/chapel
Date
1980 - 1985
Coordinates
212108, 263843
Date Recorded
07/08/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached Roman Catholic church on sub hexagonal-plan, dated 1981, having four-bay nave elevation and splayed projecting walls to entrance porch. Sheet metal roof to main section, sloping to front façade (northeast), with raised rendered parapet/ roof lantern with cross finial over altar to the southwest end. Artificial slate to porch. Painted rendered walls with cast-iron decorative plate to front facade. Square-headed window openings having aluminium casement windows. Square-headed door opening with glazed timber framed doors. Date plaque to interior. Set in own grounds to the north end of Keenagh. Freestanding cast-iron bell tower the north side of grounds, built c. 1830. Roughly coursed rubble limestone walls with castellated piers to site, having decorative carved limestone plaque and timber double leaf gates.
Appraisal
An interesting late-twentieth century Roman Catholic church, representing a recent addition to the built heritage of County Longford. It is built in a post-modernist style with a striking profile and pleasant artwork by Ray Carroll. The irregular and inventive appearance/plan is the result of liturgical changes brought about following the Second Vatican Council (1963 - 65), which has allowed architects to move away from traditional church building forms and experiment with more unconventional designs. The construction of the church is of technical interest, while the open and well-lit interior creates a reflective and contemplative space. It was built to designs by John and Nuala Kernan, Limerick. It is quite similar in appearance and style to Our Lady of Lourdes, Abbeyshrule (13402346), a Roman Catholic church also built to designs by John Kernan. The main contractor was B.J. Doyle and Sons, Keenagh. The charming nineteenth century belfry may have been relocated here from St. Dominic's Roman Catholic church (13402208) at Cartronawar (RATHCLINE BY.), to the south, the former parish church at Keenagh, now disused. The carved limestone plaque to the boundary wall is of artistic merit and appears to be of some antiquity. It was taken here from another church site. The Latin inscription reads MORS EST CERTE. SED HORA INSERTE, meaning ‘death is certain - but the time uncertain.’ A water font to the interior with the initials ‘H. C.’ (for Hubert Cahill, a priest) is apparently dated 1642 (not viewed).