New Russian church hall for Electric Picnic Laois estate

Plans are afoot to provide more facilites to members of the Russian Orthodox Church at their place of worship on the the site of the Electric Picnic in Laois.

Adrian Cosby, Michael Arndt and Andrew Bond, trustees of St Colman's Russian Orthodox Church, have notified Laois County Council that they intend to apply for permission for the construction of a detached, single-storey structure to be used as a Church Hall.

The building will also be used as storage in conjunction with St Colman's Russian Orthodox Church which is a protected structure at Stradbally Hall Demesne.

The planning notice published in the Leinster Express use of existing parking and existing entrance, and all associated site works at Raheenduff property, Stradbally is also included in the planning application.

The history of this church began in 1990, when Mr Cosby, having left the Church of Ireland, decided to accept Orthodoxy and build a church on the estate which has been made famous nationally by the Electric Picnic.

It was built in the early 1990s. The church was named in honour of St Colman of Ogwal who founded the Orthodox monastery in the 6th century AD in Stradbally.

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Services continue to take place in the Orthodox Church which exists on donations from parishioners. Priests from Russia have ministered in Stradbally.

The Orthodox Church holds to many of the same beliefs as the Catholic Church, but in different ways. They would agree on the importance of scripture and tradition and the views on the Eucharist, but disagree as to which traditions. They do not hold to a Pope, but they do have their own ruling body.