St. Mary's Church: Exterior
What kind of stone is the church built of?
Do you expect many changes?
What about a car park?: Do you think there's one in front of the church now?
Can you see any sign of extension to the church?
Can you believe this is the same church?
This is what it looked like when Thomas J. Wynne photographed it in
the 1870's shortly after it was built (around 1855).
Look at where the bell is located.
The spire with the new housing for the bell was built in 1895.
Click to hear who built the spire
Look at the shape of the church. Later, it was extended into a cruciform
shape.
Look at the picture below from around 1910. It will help you understand
what cruciform means:
An bhfuil aon rud nach bhfuil athraithe ón mbliain 1870?
Where did all the money come from?
Why couldn't Irish people build big churches between 1700 and 1829?
The next major change came in the 1920's, when a wing was added on
each side:
you can see them on the modern view of the church:
Now it is no longer in the shape of a cross...
...but you can still see it from above!
Night View
This map was drawn about 20 years before the church was built.
What can you see in the space where the church was to be built?