St. Finbarr's South Church
Church in Cork, Ireland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
St. Finbarr's South, also known as the South Chapel, is an 18th century church in Cork in Ireland.[1] Constructed in 1766 as the "first Catholic church built in Cork since before the Reformation",[2] the Penal-era church was deliberately built to be relatively unimposing.[3][4] It is the oldest Catholic church still in use in Cork city,[4][5] and is the parish church of St Finbarr's South parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cork and Ross.[6] The church is included in the Record of Protected Structures maintained by Cork City Council.[7]
| St. Finbarr's South | |
|---|---|
Facade and entrance to St Finbarr's South Church | |
 St. Finbarr's South | |
| 51.8943°N 8.4716°W | |
| Location | Dunbar Street, Cork |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | Finbar of Cork |
| Architecture | |
| Years built | 1766 (main structure), 1809 (transept added) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Cork and Ross |
Built of local limestone and red sandstone,[8] the church was commissioned by the then parish priest, Daniel Albert O'Brien, to replace an existing thatched building.[9] O'Brien, who had been appointed as parish priest and vicar general in 1760 by the then Bishop of Cork, Richard Walsh, was a member of the Dominican Order.[2] O'Brien was succeeded as parish priest, in 1774, by Francis Moylan (later Bishop of Cork).[9]
Originally built to an "L" shape,[5] the church was extended and an additional transept was added in 1809.[1] The main altar holds a statue, known as The Dead Christ, which was sculpted by John Hogan (1800–1858).[8] A painting of the crucifixion, behind the altar, is attributed by some sources to the artist John O'Keeffe (c.1797–1838).[10] The church was further extended in the 1860s, and additional work undertaken on the altar, in the 1870s, by ecclesiastical architect George Goldie (1828–1887).[2]
Notable parishioners include John Stanislaus Joyce, who was baptised in the church in 1849.[11] Other former parishioners include educator Nano Nagle, hospital founder Mary Aikenhead, military general Daniel O'Leary, sculptor John Hogan and Arctic explorer Jerome Collins.[12]