Cork Roman Catholic Parishes

According to the R. C. divisions, the city with the suburbs is divided into three unions or parishes, St. Mary's and St. Anne's, St. Peter's and St. Paul's, and St. Finbarr's. St. Mary's and St. Anne's comprises nearly the whole of the Protestant parishes of St. Mary, St. Anne, and St. Catherine: the duties are performed by the parish priest, who is the Bishop, six curates, and two chaplains. The parochial chapel, which is also the cathedral, is a spacious structure, with a plain exterior: the eastern end having been destroyed by an accidental fire, it was rebuilt, and, with the rest of the interior, decorated by the Messrs. Pain in the later English style of architecture: the altar-piece is extremely rich and similar to that of the abbey of St. Albans, in England.

There are chapels of ease at Brickfields and Clogheen: the former, dedicated to St. Patrick, is a handsome edifice in the Grecian style by the Messrs. Pain: the principal front is ornamented by a lofty and elegant portico of eight columns of grey marble, not yet finished, and approached by a flight of steps, extending along the entire front: from the centre of the roof rises a cupola, supported by eight Corinthian columns, surmounted by figures representing as many of the Apostles; the whole topped by a pedestal and cross. This chapel was opened for divine service, October 18th, 1836.

St. Peter's and Paul's, comprising the Protestant parishes of the same name, with portions of those of Christ-Church, St. Anne's, and St. Finbarr's, is a mensal of the Bishop: the duties are performed by an administrator and two curates. The parochial chapel, a plain edifice, built in 1786, has an elegant altar in the Corinthian style, with a fine painting of the Crucifixion. St. Finbarr's comprises the Protestant parish of St. Nicholas, most part of St. Finbarr's, and a small portion of that of Christ-Church: the duties are performed by a parish priest and four curates, one of whom resides near Blackrock, and officiates at the chapel of ease there, which is noticed under the article descriptive of that village.

The parochial chapel is in Dunbar-street, a spacious building, erected in 1776, in form of a T: under the altar is a figure of a "dead Christ," of a single block of white marble, executed at Rome, at an expense of £500, by Hogan, a native or Cork. In the chapel is also a monument to the memory of the Rev. Dr. McCarthy, coadjutor bishop, in which he is represented in the act of administering the sacrament to a person labouring under malignant fever, thus expressing in the most lively manner the cause of his premature death.

There are four friaries belonging severally to the Augustinians, Franciscans, Dominicans, and Capuchins; two monasteries for monks, one of the Presentation order, the other of the Christian Brotherhood; and two convents for nuns of the Presentation order, one in the southern and the other in the northern part of the city. The Augustinians had an institution, called Gill Abbey, founded by St. Finbarr, for canons regular of the order, largely endowed by Cormac Mac Carthy, King of Cork, and shortly afterwards completed by Gilla Aeda, bishop of the see, from whom it derived its name; it anciently formed the cathedral establishment. The present state of this and the other decayed monastic buildings in the city is described in the subsequent part of this article, which treats of its antiquities. The institution at present is situated in Brunswick-street, and consists of a prior and four priests: the chapel, erected in 1780, was much enlarged in 1827; over the altar is a good painting of the Crucifixion. The Franciscan monastery was founded in 1214, on the north side of the city, by Dermot Mac Carthy Reagh, and rebuilt in 1240 by Lord Philip Prendergast.

The present institution, situated in Grattan-street, consists of a guardian and four priests: the chapel, a neat building, was erected in 1830 by subscription, at an expense of £4500. The Dominican friary was founded in 1229, by the Barry family, on an island on the south side of the city, whence it acquired the name of the Abbey of the Island. The institution is now situated in Dominic-street, on the site of Shandon castle, and consists of a prior and six priests. A new chapel, dedicated to St. Mary, is being erected on Pope's quay from a design gratuitously furnished by Kearnes Deane, Esq, who superintends its erection on a principle of similar liberality. When finished, it will consist of a portico of six Ionic columns with a triangular pediment surmounted by sculptured figures, with a stately portico, enriched with Corinthian pillars on each side, and topped by a dome with an octangular tambour. The interior, 112 ½ by 100 feet, will be also enriched by ranges of Corinthian pillars; the cost will be defrayed both by voluntary subscriptions collected in the usual manner and by a weekly penny collection from the industrious and poorer classes.

A Sunday school with about 500 pupils is attached to this body. The Capuchins' or Reformed Franciscans' institution, situated in Blackman's-lane, consists of a provincial, guardian, and three priests. The chapel was built by the celebrated Arthur O'Leary, who was a priest of this order. A new chapel has been commenced in 1823, on Charlotte's-quay, by the present provincial, the Very Rev. Theobald Matthews, who has contributed liberally to its expense, which has already amounted to £10,000; the remainder is derived from subscriptions and weekly collections. The structure, from a design and under the superintendence of Messrs. Pain, is built of a light grey limestone, and is already carried up as high as the roof; when finished, it will present a splendid specimen of the later English style, with a tower and spire, 200 feet high the front has a portico of three lofty arches resting on octagonal piers; between the centre piers is a rich screen, forming a kind of porch to the doorway.

The piers, ten in number, are continued at the angles of the building, those not connected with the tower terminating like those of Henry VII.'s chapel at Westminster, from which spring the exterior flying buttresses. Similar buttresses are introduced in connection with the turrets at the angles of the tower, which rise from a base just above the arches before mentioned. The tower will consist of two stories, having an open parapet of tracery passing round it, above which will rise the spire: the upper story of the tower and the lower portion of the spire wi!l be open, so managed as to combine strength and variety with airy lightness. The contract for the building was nearly £ 12,000, but it is estimated that the entire cost will exceed £20,000.

The Sunday schools, under the care of the Josephian Society (the Very Rev. T. Matthews, patron), are composed of religious and well-educated young men who instruct 500 boys: the day schools are under the superintendence of 50 Ladies Governesses, five of whom attend every day and are assisted by a matron and instruct 500 girls; an infants' school for 350 children is under the direction of the same ladies, aided by a matron from the London parent institution. Evening schools for the instruction of apprentices and labouring boys are under the care of the same society.

The Presentation Monastery, situated in Douglas-street, was established in 1827 in buildings previously occupied by the Nuns of the Presentation order. The community consists of a superior and ten brothers, who devote themselves to the instruction of the poor on a system embracing every branch of useful education. Attached to the dwelling is a spacious building, divided into four large apartments capable of accommodating 1000 boys; about 600 receive instruction and are apprenticed when at a proper age. The funds are derived from subscriptions and the proceeds of an annual sermon. The school owes its origin to the late Very Rev. Dean Collins, priest of the. parish, who contributed liberally towards the erection of the building, and also to its support. The Lancasterian school, at the end of Great George's-street, is conducted by this community; it is 80 feet by 60, and capable of accommodating 1000 pupils; it is attended by the same number, and supported in the same manner as the school previously described.

The Christian Brotherhood was instituted in 1811; the present buildings, situated in Peacock-lane, were erected in 1815. The community consists of a superior and eight brothers, who devote themselves to the instruction of the poor in two schools, one in Peacock lane, the other on Sullivan's-quay: the former of these, two stories high and divided into six apartments, each 45 feet by 25, affords accommodation for 800 boys; in the latter about 300 attend. The schools are conducted and supported in the same manner as those of the Presentation Monastery. The community's dwelling-house is at a short distance from the former of these schools, on an elevated and commanding situation.

The Presentation Convent, in Douglas-street, owes its origin to the late Miss Honora Nagle, who in 1777 erected a small building for that purpose; which being soon found too small for the increasing number of its inmates, the building now occupied by the parochial clergymen and by the monks of the Presentation order, was erected by the ladies and their friends, under the superintendence of the Very Rev. Dean Collins: the establishment has since become the parent house of the Presentation Institute in Ireland. After the decease of this lady, the new order was approved of by Pope Pius VI. and confirmed by Pius VII., under the title of "the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary." Dean Collins, then the parish priest, purchased, in 1825, the interest of the present buildings (partly erected by Miss Nagle) from the Ursuline Nuns, who had removed to their present abode in Blackrock; and the present community of the Presentation Institute removed into them on Oct. 1st, 1827, from the buildings now occupied by the Parochial Clergy and the Monks of the Presentation order. The community consists of a superioress, 17 professed and 2 lay nuns, who devote their whole time to the gratuitous instruction of poor female children; the average attendance of pupils is about 500. The buildings, with the chapel, form a very respectable pile in an elevated situation. The remains of the foundress are interred in the cemetery within the grounds, and those of Dean Collins within the chapel, in which there is a neat marble slab erected to his memory. There is an almshouse for 20 poor old women in connection with it, chiefly supported by the ladies.

The North Presentation convent was founded in Chapel-street in 1799, and removed to the present house in Clarence-street in. 1808. The community consists of a superioress, 14 professed nuns and two lay sisters, who devote their time to the same purpose as those in Douglas-street already described: the average attendance of children at the school is 600, one-third of whom are clothed annually by a subscription of the citizens: the buildings with the chapel form a handsome pile. A branch of the Sisters of Charity, Stanhope-street, Dublin, was established near the cathedral 10 years since; the community consists of six inmates, who go out to relieve the sick poor and to instruct them in the duties of religion.