Church repairs in Laois at Portlaoise Parish Church
SS Peter & Paul’s Parish Church is undergoing external works
Construction workers have been deployed in Portlaoise to one of the biggest Catholic Churches in Laois and Leinster to carry out external repairs.
Toward the end of August, workers moved on-site to strip the plaster facade to the entrance hall at SS Peter & Paul’s Church in Portlaoise. With the preparation work done, workers began erecting scaffolding on September 1 to begin the replastering project on the facade.
Portlaoise Parish Priest Msgr John Byrne confirmed to the Leinster Express / Laois Live on September 2 that the replastering was the purpose of the work. He said it had been necessitated by some cracking on the facade. However, he said the works were relatively minor as no major defects were present.
The building, which is the biggest Catholic Church in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, was dedicated in 1965. Its construction was the culmination of 24 years of fundraising and planning under the leadership of Fr Tom Browne PP.
The first major refurbishment programme was carried out in 2008, which required it to be closed for six months. The church was officially reopened and rededicated in November 2008 after a major €2 million renovation project overseen by Msgr Byrne.
The part of the building that is being replaced dates to the 2008 overhaul. The entrance included the installation of colourful stained glass made by Eoin Turner, Cork. It is not affected by the replastering.
The 2008 refurbishment involved interior repairs and extensive painting, new lighting, heat and sound, as well as roof maintenance. Improvements to the entrance and new outside paving were also carried out. MORE BELOW PHOTO
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The sanctuary was relocated centrally with a modern chandelier of 17ft in diameter and a drop of 23ft installed.
It was intended to relocate a mosaic of The Last Supper from the old church, but this was not possible, so artist Marie Conroy painted a new one. A SS Peter and Paul icon was created by Fr Luke Dingman from California.
The Baptistery font was given new prominence with a Marian shrine added. The statues of St Joseph and of Mary came from the old church and were given more prominent positions.
The refurbished conculded a period of renewal of Parish facilities in Portlaoise. The Portlaoise Parish Centre opened three years previously.