In tune with this festive season I want to tell you about a beautifully restored church I visited in Brosna, Co. Kerry. The visit was uplifting. The unusual thing was that all the materials were spot on! In a country full of plastic windows and everything covered in concrete from head to toe, here natural materials were chosen that complimented the old. Thick solid wooden doors lead you inside. Terracotta tiles on the floor blend in with their natural patina warmed by underfloor heating. Touching the mortar on the walls, dusty particles remain on the finger tips proving that traditional lime mortar techniques were used, allowing the church walls to breath again.
Noel Lane, one of the participants in this major restoration project, showed a group of us around. This project was an example of repairing the damage that had been done to this building by previous modernisations. None of this was by coincidence. Clear, strong decisions had been made to make this space comfortable and joyful again. Great time and effort had obviously been given to selecting each and every material. However, the most revealing information of our tour was that the project was driven by the community. Well done for choosing quality which will hopefully last a long time and be enjoyed by many.
Photographs by Noel Lane
great church
ReplyDeletehi Patti
ReplyDeleteyou need to give a route description to the church so that we can visit it next year. Barbara
Very nice installation
ReplyDeleteBrian
The way things are going for the Church in Ireland, another use will have to be found for this building if it is to be kept in its beautiful restored state. This could be a problem - suggestions?
ReplyDeleteHallo Patti,
ReplyDeletesehr schön und stimmig. Ich bin neugierig auf mehr Beiträge.
Mehdi
This church is in my home village and I would agree with Patty in everything she said. It is beautifully done and a credit to all who worked on it. If you come and see it you will be impressed and will want to come back time and time again. Its in Brosna Village in Kerry just over the border from Abbeyfeale Co Limerick. Well done for showing it Patty,
ReplyDeleteHelena
In response to the comment about the Church of Ireland, I think community driven projects are the way forward. My only query is what was it that made this community strive to get it architecturally right?
ReplyDeleteNoel Lane is my cousin. I've enjoyed having him tell me about the restoration of the church. Congratulations to all involved on a beautiful job. Kerry - Rialto, California
ReplyDeleteThe church looks great but it might have been more interesting if the restoration was treated as a contemporary intervention?
ReplyDeleteWhat state was it in before the work was done.
John