March 2014
WEISFJORD NEWS
Page 15
3AM HISTORY I call it "3am History" because it asks the kind of questions that randomly run through my mind when I cannot sleep. Finding the answers can reveal the 'story' part of what we see, or hear about, in our own lifetimes. Kings, dates,battles and so forth have their places - but so what? I look for, and write about, things that make history an enjoyable search for interesting answers to questions about things or events that we are so used to, we don't really think about them. Two of Wexford's most prominent features certainly fall within that category. LOOK UP. Though they no longer dominate Wexford's skyline quite as exclusively anymore thanks to modern buildings and structures inching up over the past handful of years, the Spires of the 'Twin Churches' - 222 feet tall each from basement to Cross - are still a very prominent part of the 'shape' of Wexford Town. But why are they there at all? And why two of them? And why are they 'Twins'? While not formally repealed until 1920, the infamous Penal Laws were relaxed to such a degree by 1850 that the decision to amalgamate the local Parishes of Wexford and build two new churches to serve them was finalised. Wexford now saw the beginning of the successful accumulation of funding, design and building expertise which ultimately gave us the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the Church of the Assumption. They were to be identical in appearance "to prevent jealousy and unpleasant comparisons amongst the town people" and would cater to a population that could no longer be facilitated solely by the Friary - which had been the only church in town since 1691 where previously there had been no less than 17. Fr. James Roche was charged with raising funds and, despite budget overruns amounting to almost twice the original estimate of 32 thousand pounds, in 1858 the first Masses were heard in both churches on the same day, Wednesday 21st of April. They were constructed by Thomas Willis who was noted for his ability and expertise in building on sloping sites - Ann Street Presbyterian Church was also built by him -and the design was John Pierce's. He
was not only an Architect in his own right, but had been Clerk of Works for the great church Architect, Augustus Welby Pugin. Pierce was, like Pugin, a great admirer of the Gothic Revival style and had been praised for his work on the church at St.Peter's College. It was this which probably earned him the commission to design the Twin Churches. He applied his talent to as full an extent as possible, and his inclusion of the Spires mark our skyline since. When is a Spire a spire and a Steeple a steeple? Technically, a spire sits atop a steeple - it can be easily
discerned from its supporting structure. Conversely, a spire becomes a steeple when it appears to be a continuation of its supporting structure. In practice however, both terms are used interchangeably depending on location and tradition. Even Pugin seems to have used the terms interchangeably in his letters. Pugin, (and by extension Pierce) was enamoured by the idea that a church should represent a stylistic and symbolic unity and be free of 'decoration for the sake of decoration'. In essence, a church should be 'uplifting' in its convenience, construction and propriety. The first two conditions are satisfied relatively simply. For convenience, make every space usable and easily accessible. For construction use local materials where possible - Pugin's view was that 'no material is too coarse or too com-
mon' to be used in construction for to him the glory of God was reflected more in the nature and appearance of a rough rock than in polished marble or man-made material. Using local materials also had the beneficial side-effect of keeping costs down, probably much appreciated by Fr. Roche as time went by and costs mounted. The third condition of 'propriety'being understood to mean 'elegance' - is where the tension between being 'artistic' and having 'integrity' arises. Remember, Pugin did not hold with 'ornamentation' however he also wanted his churches to reflect properly God's grandeur. This balance between these opposing concepts could be satisfied by such measures as installing Stained Glass windows - they instruct and glorify through their pictures while also providing light, using Encaustic floor tiles which add beauty not with man-made glazes but with contrasts provided by different coloured Clays and which also provide usable floors - and so on. But did Pierce add something so 'decorative' and spend extra money on something that, apart from hanging bells in or putting up a clock on, is 'wasted space' - surely that went against Pugin's three conditions for church design as outlined above? Actually, in both the real world and in Pugin's and Pierce's religious outlooks it did not. 'Reaching for the heavens' has a long history in human construction, The Tower of Babel, Pyramids,Pagodas and Minarets all show that shared trait in our human nature to look upwards when contemplating the Divine. And without a Steeple, a church is just part of a background of buildings of similar or higher dimensions. Without a Steeple, bells - so important to many aspects of Christianity - cannot be heard over long distances. And in more violent times a
BY JOHN ORMONDE
Steeple provided a distinct advantage in that raiders could be seen from afar and there would be time to organise defenses. For Pugin and his followers too, a steeple or Spire soaring aloft was important. For them, it served as an emblem of the Resurrection while also drawing also one's eye upwards towards Heaven - an action that physically represented a yearning for, and searching awareness of, the Divine. It brought the observer to the knowledge of God on accessible, inspirational and physical levels- the eyes seeing, the heart seeking and the head lifting heavenwards. Finally - their shape. Why are 'our' Steeples conical? Why not a simple square tower? Why not a pyramidal steeple rather than the more difficult and expensive construction of an inverted cone?- The answer has a lot to do with both climate and Pugin. Pugin's conviction was that the God's glory was best represented by a 'stately forefinger pointing towards the Heavenly Abode' and the best way to show that was a with a slender tall inverted cone. Climate considerations also favoured a cone - in Northern Europe the weight of snow and ice and the effect of gale force winds on a high structure had to be taken into account to prevent collapse. In warmer Southern climates a flat or slightly pyramidal roof over a tower will suffice - The Friary Belltower being an example of that style - but in the North, as you built higher you either had to build a proportionately more massive structure to bear the weight of a square and solid tower, or use a shape that could shed snow and ice easily while also able to divert wind forces around it. With the materials and knowledge then available, if you wanted a graceful Spire that would last, you went for the inverted cone shape and that is exactly what Pierce did. The day may come when the Spires will be no longer be the landmarks they are today as they become lost amidst ever higher buildings, but for the present they are still to be enjoyed from a distance. Look up when close by them also -what you notice might lead you to more of their "real history".
John Ormonde
Photographer: Tom Harpur
Author K. K Weakley CORNERBOY - It’s Hand Clapping, Foot Stomping Stuff! has done it again! In the days of chivalry and royalty, most history books speak of duty and honor. But K. K Weakley shows the real lives behind those stone walls. A never ending tale of heart, soul, passion and betrayal. Each time, the words stroke the imagination all the while showing you something new in the process. K. K is very talented and leaves you appreciative of the art of storytelling. She's an excellent author, and draws you into her story immediately to where you can actually see the events shaping within your mind. As always her work is a fine read and easy to follow. She has my vote for author of the year with many more awards to come her way. Karin takes the reader and places them in the moment with tremendous attention to detail. You are literally feeling what her characters are feeling! She celebrates a sense of lost humanity in her writing. Born and reared in Wexford Ireland to Jimmy and Patricia Kelly, K. K
Weakley has and continues to do her home town proud, a town which
seems to be filled with raw talent. The last installment of her Daughter of Arella Trilogy, Lord of
Zantar, has not just ended a great story, but done it with tremendous style. Once again choosing to keep it as homebound as possible, K. K had the opportunity to work with Photographer Nan Furlong and Model Meghan Dempsey, to form what would be the last view into the world of Kiril and Nox. Sarah (Mahon) Lynch being the face of the ferocious Lady Nox, while Denise Kelly showed us the innocence of Nasha, Megan has brought us the face of Tianna and with it the end of something which has pulled readers in with ease. Available Worldwide in paperback, Ebook, Nook and Kindle, we can say with truth the journey within her mind has been an amazing one, and we look forward to what comes next for this talented Irish find.
14TH MARCH – WEXFORD OPERA HOUSE “TRUE NORTH” HOMETOWN LAUNCH xuberant! It’s hand clapping, foot stomping stuff with more rousing choruses than a pub full of balled singers. Rootsier down-home baroque folk of the fleet foxes variety’. – Hot Press (May, 2013) ‘Corner Boy possess something different and this needs to be witnessed in the live setting. It’s early doors for Corner Boy but this band are destined for great things’. – GoldenPlec.com (Aug, 2013) Corner Boy, winners of Red Bull Bedroom Jam 2013, are set to release their debut studio E.P. “True North” on Friday 14th March, with single “Ghost Town City”, out 28th February. Their victory awarded them the opportunity to record with producer Joe Chester (Ryan Sheridan, Mundy, Gemma Hayes, The
E
Coronas) in Grouse Lodge Studios. Playing their first ever show at the Other Voices Derry music trail in February 2013, Corner Boy have gone on to perform at some of the biggest festivals in the country including Electric Picnic, Westport Festival, Indiependence and Knockanstockan. Life on a farm has certainly instilled a strong work ethic in the band who have toured relentlessly, performing in 27 Irish counties to date. Friends from the farmlands of rural Wexford, unusually emigration was the spark that ignited the flame bringing the five members of Corner Boy together. Having left Irish shores for Canada, lead singer Michael returned home revitalised after immersing himself in the vibrant Montreal music scene. On his return the five friends joined forces to form Corner Boy. Corner Boy’s music blends together traditional Irish instruments and folk progressions with contemporary musical themes. Their style gently
nods to Northern American folk and layers each tune with soaring vocal harmonies. All of which gives Corner Boy its distinctly energetic sound juxtaposed with a haunting narrative. Michael D’Arcy – Guitar, Lead vocals Karen O’Connor – Fiddle, vocals Matthew O’Brien – Banjo, guitar, vocals Leo Staples – Double bass, vocals Michael Sutherland – Drums, vocals FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.cornerboy.org www.facebook.com/cornerboymusic info@cornerboy.org