Sir, - I refer to the letter from Father Columba Nee CC, in your issue of October 16th. I should start by correcting Father Nee on one small point. As far as I am aware, no State money was paid towards the current restoration work at St Canice's Cathedral Kilkenny - it received a grant directly from the EU Commission in Brussels.
I was, however, particularly interested in his comments on the destruction of so many Roman Catholic churches by "clerical iconoclasts intoxicated by the mythical spirit of Vatican 2". As former chairman of the Architectural Committee of the National Heritage Council (and deputy "chairman of the council) I have considerable and sad experience of this destruction, which is
Cromwellian in its ferocity.
In September 1994, the council sponsored a seminar in Dublin Castle on the conservation and protection of churches to which clergy of all demoninations, architects and anyone involved in or interested in the subject were invited. Among the many and distinguished speakers were Dr. Mario Conti, Bishop of Aberdeen and chairman of the Scottish Catholic Heritage Commission, together with one of his commission members, Fr Kenneth Nugent SJ (an architect by profession). The seminar heard submissions from Archbishop Marchisano, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, who because of ill health was unable to attend personally but sent one of his senior staff, Dr Cristina, Carlo Stella, to speak at the seminar.
It was shown, by means of a vast amount of documentation issued by the Vatican and by the speakers such as Dr. Carlo Stella and Bishop Conti, that not only did the Vatican not encourage wholesale destruction of church interiors to conform to the new liturgical fashion, but tried as best it could to discourage it. The seminar was very well attended by both clergy and laity, but significantly, not one single Roman Catholic bishop attended.
Many people are horrified by the destruction, almost desecration, of many of our most beautiful churches built with money collected from our far from rich ancestors. Killarney Cathedral, one of A.W. Pugin's finest cathedral churches, has had its interior destroyed (I am told that much of the beautiful carved marble was used to make hardcore for carparks and pathways).
St McCartan's Cathedral in Monaghan McCarthy's (the "Irish Pugin") masterpiece likewise suffered. Even the Cardinal's own cathedral in Armagh did not escape. The recent re dedication of St. Mary's Cathedral, Cork, by the late Bishop Murphy following its "reordering" shows very clearly what is happening to many of our churches. At this very time, a threat hangs over Carlow Cathedral, in spite of large protests by local people.
During my time on the National Heritage Council, I discussed the problem of "reordering" of churches with many clerics of the Roman Catholic church, bishops, administrators, priests etc., Although some are sympathetic, most furiously resent any interference with their prerogative and their churches. Suggestion that they are simply guardians of part of the Nations Architectural Heritage fills them with horror. The council has tried by every means to encourage restraint but, with few exceptions, in vain.
I must not finish, however, without praising two examples of jobs well done. One is the beautiful restoration of Bishop Brendan Commiskey's Cathedral Church of St Aidan in Ferns, designed by A. W. Pugin. The second is the work proposed for Ashlin and Pugin's superb St. Colman's Cathedral, at Cobb, Co Cork, under the sensitive guidance of Bishop John Magee of Cloyne and his assistant Canon Den is Reidy. I am happy to say that both of these restorations were assisted by the National Heritage Council. - Yours, etc.
85 Merrion Square,
Dublin