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Near
the Church, is a handsome Parish Hall, again retaining most of its Victorian
interior intact. It was built in 1889, and was designed by R.S. Barnes
C.E. The following report appeared in the "Meath Herald & Cavan
Advertiser" on Saturday, September 27th. 1890"
AN
ASSEMBLY ROOM AT DONAGHPATRICK
"All hail to Donaghpatrick! May its shadow never be less! On Thursday
last at 3 o' clock, we had the pleasure of attending the ceremony of
opening a Parochial Hall, recently erected there for social gatherings
of various sorts in connection with the congregation, but not considered
exactly suitable for the Church building adjacent. The Hall which appeared
to us quite suitable for the purposes intended was built under the direction
of Mr. R.S. Barnes C.E., cost nearly £600 and is very tastefully
got up, probably accommodating about 120 people. It was nearly filled
by the Parishioners, together with a few people from other Parishes,
which indeed surprised us, considering the thin population of the district.
The Bishop of Meath presided, and the proceedings opened with the singing
of the hymn "The Churches one Foundation" led by Mrs. Collins,
on the piano. Prayers followed by the Rector of the Parish, the Rev.
John A. Jennings after which, the Bishop declared the Hall opened. The
Rector then stated the necessity of the building of the hall as there
used to be 46 or 47 people present at social meetings in the Rectory
House and specially mentioned the services rendered in its construction
by Mr. Gerrard D.L., who gave the ground, Mr. Barnes and Major Everard
D.L. The Hymn "We plough the fields" followed, after which
the Bishop delivered a short address, indicating that buildings such
as this were quite unknown in the early Christian Churches, which had
not many houses consecrated for their worship but were obliged to meet
in private houses, which of course, their rooms could not be consecrated...A
programme of music etc. was then gone through with good effect, and
the people separated after spending a very enjoyable time".
A
special Centenary Service for the Parochial Hall was held in September
1989. On St. Patrick's Day, March 17th. 1996, a Festival Eucharist took
place to celebrate the Centenary of the Laying of the Foundation Stone
of the Present Church. The Celebrant was the Lord Bishop of Meath and
Kildare, The Most Reverend Walton Empey, now the present Archbishop
of Dublin, and the Preacher was the Very Reverend Victor Griffin, former
Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, famed for ensuring the complete
restoration of that Cathedral in the 1960's, and for his opposition
to road building and destruction of Dublin's inner city.
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Donaghpatrick
According to tradition, St. Patrick, founded a
religious house on the site of the present Church. The tripartite
'Life of St. Patrick' states that this place was the site of
a royal palace, granted to Patrick by Conaill, the brother of
the High King Laoghaire, following his baptism. Near the Church
is Telltown, anciently called, Tailte, famous for the annual
Telltown Games, at which all the Princes and Chieftains gathered,
and where Patrick was rejected by Conaill's brother Cairbre.
It seems that a Church survived at 'Domhnach Patrick' throughout
the Middle Ages, although it was burned in 745 CE , and plundered
in 949 CE and again, in 1156 CE.
The Church was in ruins in 1682, apart from the
mediaeval bulky tower. The Church was rebuilt in 1805 and incorporated
the mediaeval tower. One presumes that this Church was a rather
plain rectangular structure, as are many others built in the
same period. In 1835 the Ecclesiastical Commissioners gave a
grant of £104.3.7d. to repair the Church. The Rectory
was built in 1812, by aid of a gift of £200. and a loan
of £600. from the Board of First Fruits. Despite being
only 81 years old, the Church was demolished in 1895, apart
from the mediaeval tower, and a new Church was built, again
in the same position.
The new Church was designed by the architect,
J.F. Fuller, and was erected by Thomas Gerrard and his sisters,
Mrs. Collins and Mrs. Johnston, of Gibbstown House. The Church
is a small pleasing structure, with a three bay Nave, constructed
of rock-faced limestone, an apsidal Chancel, a Vestry, and a
lean-to gabled Porch, adjoining the South wall of the mediaeval
tower.
The interior decoration is limited to the Chancel,
which contains a tiled floor and tiled wall decoration. The
Chancel arch is Caen stone and the ceiling of the entire Church
is panelled. The original pews, Font, Reading-Desk and American
Organ are still in situ. The large 'Eagle' brass Lectern, came
from Ardbraccan Church, when that Church closed. The Altar,
is decorated with a curious fretted front panel, not unlike
that commonly found on a Victorian radiator cover. The small
Vestry, off the Chancel, contains its original decorated fire
place surround and a decorated table and matching chairs, complete
the furnishing. There are no Memorial Tablets on the walls of
the Church, an expressed wish of the Gerrard family. Some Tablets
from Kilshine Church, now closed, have been erected in the inner
porch.
The Tower is a bulky structure of coursed limestone
rubble and was a residential tower. Like a traditional Tower
House it contained a large room on each of its four storeys.
Each room had a fire place and recessed cupboards and was linked
to the next storey by a stone staircase in the North wall. The
floors have long since been removed, but access to the top of
the tower is still possible, as the ancient stone steps have
survived. The view from the top of the tower is well worth the
climb and one can appreciate the beauty of the surrounding country-side,
from its battlemented roof.
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