A PARISHIONER who lost a High Court application to prevent the removal of certain furnishings inside Carlow Cathedral is to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. Mr Sean Connolly, of Chapelstown, Co Carlow took the case to prevent the removal of the altar, altar rails and pulpit.
In a statement last night, Mr Connolly said he was not seeking to challenge the church on doctrine, but wanted the laity's voice to be heard in "matters of funding and disposal of items of great historical and architectural value." The High Court was told the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Dr Laurence Ryan, had sought to remove those architectural features and otherwise radically remodel the cathedral's interior.
The controversial "re ordering" of the interior of Carlow Cathedral has been substantially changed since it was first proposed two years ago by the bishop.
The alterations were made on foot of a report by an independent forum, chaired by Dr Miriam Hederman O'Brien, who had been asked to arbitrate, and in response to a Heritage Council request.
Mr David Slattery, the architect and historic buildings consultant who acted for the council, said it had sought "a whole series of amendments" to the design and he was pleased that most of these had been taken on board.
One of the most important changes was to retain the high altar in situ; in the original scheme, it was to have been replaced by the bishop's throne.