History of Holy Trinity Church, 1832-1856

Notes on the history of Holy Trinity Church, Cork, by Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. from the laying of the foundation stone in October 1832 to circa 1856. Reference is made to the construction, financing and decoration of the Church. Some of the notes were copied from ‘an account book of the Cork community preserved in the Archives in Dublin’ (See CA HT/3/1/1). Also, a typescript copy of an article on the Church from 'Battersby’s Catholic Registry' (1851), p. 221.

Details

Level of description: Item
Date: c.1920
Reference: 9
Extent and medium: 6 pp; Typescript with manuscript additions
Scope and content: Notes on the history of Holy Trinity Church, Cork, by Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. from the laying of the foundation stone in October 1832 to circa 1856. Reference is made to the construction, financing and decoration of the Church. Some of the notes were copied from ‘an account book of the Cork community preserved in the Archives in Dublin’ (See CA HT/3/1/1). Also, a typescript copy of an article on the Church from 'Battersby’s Catholic Registry' (1851), p. 221.
Repository: Irish Capuchin Archives
Context: Irish Capuchin Archives > Papers of Holy Trinity (Father Mathew Memorial) Church, Cork > Historical Writings

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Extracted Mentions

People, places, and terms identified via handwriting recognition and named entity recognition.

People

Places

Roche(2)
Ossory(1)

Terms

Sample passages

The Rev. D.F. MacLeod, the Revds L. O'Riordan, G. Brennan, John O'Connell went through the city and succeeded in getting the names of those who had subscribed to a fund for a monum…
October 6th 1850, the 21st Sunday after Pentecost. On this Sunday the South Friary was finally closed and the New Church of the Most Holy Trinity was opened on the 10th October, be…
Guardian, The Rev. John O'Connell.

Full Transcript (OCR, 7 pages)

Machine-generated OCR transcript. Handwritten material may contain recognition errors.

Page 1

224 Hesterici Fathers Re The Church of the Most Holy Trinity (Father Mathew's Church) Put together by Fr. Stanislaw O. F. C.

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NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF THE CAPUCHINS OF CORK. CHURCH OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY. The Church of the Holy Trinity, Charlotte Quay was commenced in October 1832. The Plan was given by a Mr. Payne, and the contracting architect was a Mr. Anthony. The foundation was very expensive as steam engines were employed to pump the water day and night. It is formed of inverted arches, pilings, etc., and cost nearly £1,600, before any portion of the Church was commenced. The Contractor Mr. Anthony took the contract at too low a figure, (as he alleged) at the suggestion of Father Mathew, who privately guaranteed him against any loss. Mr. Payne had been engaged as Superintending architect at 5 per cent on the expenditure. This led to quarrels and a law suit between Mr. Payne and Father Mathew in which damages were given to Payne of £300 and costs. Mr. Anthony failed and could not complete the contract, and afterwards Sir Thomas Deane and Co undertook the completion but only went so far as the roof of the Church. The priests connected with the Capuchin Order in Cork at the commencement of the building were the Rev. Mr. O'Riordan, Rev. Mr. Power and the Rev. D. F. MacLeod and Father Mathew. The rent of the Church is £80 per annum with right of reducing the same to £55 on payment of £500. The sum of one thousand pounds was borrowed by Rev. Mr. Mathew from the Board of Works in 1837. £250 was repaid but the

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2 with interest remaining sum, amounting to £1,300, was remitted by Government at the application of Wm Fagan M.P. backed up by others. Rev. T. Mathew got the letter of remission; it is dated March 31 1854. In 1848 it was resolved to endeavour to complete and open the Church for Divine service. General collections were made through the City for that purpose. The Rev. D.F. MacLeod, the Revds L. O'Riordan, G. Brennan, John O'Connell went through the city and succeeded in getting the names of those who had subscribed to a fund for a monument to Daniel O'Connell to agree that the whole fund should be given for a monumental Stained glass window. The trustees to the fund were Thomas Lyons, A.F. Roche and Daniel Murphy. The sum amounted to £330. The Window was erected by an Englishman; the stone frame cost £105 additional. During the great excitement of the Temperance movement, Father Mathew was pressed from many parts of Ireland to allow the Church to be finished by subscriptions of Tectotailers, but would not allow the matter to be accomplished. Father Mathew went to America May 22 1849, and returned to Cork Dec. 6 1851. He appointed Rev. John Murphy Vicar Provincial in his absence. He promised on leaving Ireland to send home money towards finishing the Church but did not send a farthing. As far as my memory serves me at present, I think the Church cost to this present time (May 1854) over £16000, an enormous sum. I calculate it as follows :

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