Sir, - Carlow Cathedral continues in the news and, as has been pointed out (The Irish Times, January 15th), many other great cathedrals, Protestant and Catholic alike, have suffered from equally disastrous proposals. Ill-conceived work has been carried out in St Canice's in Kilkenny, St Mary's in Tuam, St Brigid's in Kildare Pugin's Killarney Cathedral and St Patrick's in Armagh. One has only to look at the magnificent work (which included the reversal of some ill-advised changes made in the 1960s) done in St Aidan's in Enniscorthy, and the work in St Colman's in Cobh, to see that church restoration/refurbishment can be carried out successfully, and to the highest standards.
With work in progress on many other churches and cathedrals, Waterford Cathedral for one, there would seem to be an urgent need for an overall policy and concensus on their care and conservation. The Survey of Churches and their Contents undertaken by the Heritage Council, is an important step, and hopefully, the Council's very opportune seminar on church architecture to be held in Kilkenny today, will create enough discussion (and results) to prevent a recurrence of recent mistakes, and to ensure high standards for any future work carried out to our ecclesiastical heritage. All concerned should make their voices heard. - Yours, etc.,
B.Arch, MUBC, Conservation officer, Irish Georgian Society.