An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 15 BY MICHAEL KELLY O n Sunday 8 November 1959, Bishop Thomas Keogh (RIP) blessed and dedicated St Brigid's Catholic Church, Curragh Camp. In 1885 there were two churches built in the Curragh, east and west of the Clock Tower. The one to the east, St Brigid's, was Catholic and was situated where the Girls National School now stands. The west church, St Paul's, was Protestant, and was situ- ated where the present Catholic church stands. In 1923 the Catholic Church was destroyed by fire and the Protestant church, which had been closed for some time, became the new St Brigid's, until February 1948 when it was closed due to deterioration and dry rot. A new location beside the old gymnasium was used to house the Catholic church for the next 11 years, until the present St Brigid's Church was built. The sacristan in the old church, the late Peter Hickey (RIP), became sacristan in the new church when it opened. Around 1957 I became one of upwards of 50 altar boys around that time, and every Friday afternoon we would report to the headmaster in the Boys School, Mr Breen (RIP), who would al- locate the Masses for the coming week. There was also Rosary and Benediction on Sunday nights and there would be nine altar boys serving at these. During Lent there would be Rosary and Benediction and Sta- tions of the Cross on alternate nights from Sunday to Friday on alternate nights, and I remember the military mission that was held each year during the first week of Lent, during which every barracks would parade to Mass in the morning, and again for Rosary and Benediction in the afternoon. In 1957, the Curragh Male Voice Choir was formed compris- ing Men's and Boy's sections, with Mrs Maura Butler as choir mistress and practice taking place initially in the Band Hall, and later in a lecture hall in Ceannt Bks. As well as singing at Mass, the Boys Section of the choir en- tered and finished second in a Feis Ceoil in Dublin and sang at a recording of The School Around the Corner in the dining hall in Plunkett Bks in 1962. The Men's Section also entered the Cork Choral Fes- tival around that time, and, as I remember, performed very well. Today, there is an excel- lent church choir in the Curragh, as is evidenced by the Family Mass, the Vigil Mass, and the carol service held in the church on Christmas Eve. The church was filled to capacity for the of- ficial opening on Sunday 8 November 1959, and I remember the day very well. At the consecration Mass the choir sang The Mass of St John The Baptist in four-part harmony (tenor and bass for the men, and soprano and alto for the boys. The organist on the day was the late Denis Mel- lerick (RIP), who was the musical director with the Curragh Army Band. The 8ft teak statue of St Brigid over the main entrance to the church was carved by Oisín Kelly (RIP), and the new altar and altar furniture that are a feature of the recent refurbishment of the Church were con- structed by carpenters from the Engineer Group, McDermott Barracks. The church organ was built by RE Meates, and is still serviced regularly by his son, Richard Meates Jnr. The Stations of the Cross, also carved from teak, were designed by Imogen Stuart. One of the main features of St Brigid's are the flags proudly hanging from the church pillars. These are from units with which countless men and women from the Curragh have served while on peacekeeping duties with the United Nations around the world. This is an abbreviated version of an unpublished piece by Michael Kelly. St Brigid's Catholic Church, Curragh Camp, 1950s. © www.curragh.info Curragh Male Choir 1960: Front Row L/R: Joe Fahy, Chubby Geary, Mattie Roche, Des Hogan, and J Finnigan. Middle Row L/R: J Mullins, Unknown, Jim Farrell, J O'Brien, and M O'Brien. Back Row L/R: J Campion, Ger Mc Cutcheon, Capt Mc Mhaon, Kit Kearney, Jim Clohessy and Jim Keogh. St Brigid's Memorial Garden.

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