THE removal of the altars, altar rails and pulpit of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Carlow has been prevented by an order made in the High Court yesterday.
Mr Justice Barron, who was told work was due to start on "reordering" the cathedral on Monday, granted the temporary injunction. He said that any party would be entitled to go to court to seek to have it revoked.
The injunction was granted on the application of Mr Sean Connolly, of Chapelstown, Co Carlow. Mr Benedict O Floinn, counsel for Mr Connolly, said, there was concern that the architectural features of the cathedral should be preserved.
The defendants were named as Father John Byrne, administrator of the cathedral, and the trustees of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.
Mr Connolly, in an affidavit, said that the cathedral was one of the finest buildings in Co Carlow and had been listed for preservation in the county development plan. Building of the cathedral began in 1828 and was completed in 1833. The architect, Thomas Cobden, drew his inspiration for the building from European models, particularly the Beffroi tower in Bruges.
According to the Diocesan Book of 1831, the building was financed by weekly and annual contributions of parishioners and a general contribution by the people. The people of Carlow had helped local farmers to cart all the stone and sand and other material free of charge.
Mr Connolly said that public subscription led to the commissioning and erection of a pulpit in memory of Bishop Comerford, who died in 1895. This was made in Bruges.
The high altar was of white Sicilian marble and was erected by parishioners in 1890. The marble side altars were erected in 1903/ 04, the gilt of Carlow families. The marble altar rails were gifts of Mr and Mrs Michael Governey. They were over 98 feet in length and spanned the entire width of the cathedral. The rails had been presented to the people of Carlow in 1903.
Mr Connolly said that the present bishop had sought to remove those architectural features, make other unspecified changes and radically remodel the interior of the cathedral. The proposals, when announced, had resulted in a great deal of pain and anger.
The matter was debated extensively and two groups had been formed the Friends of Carlow Cathedral and subsequently the Save Our Cathedral Group. A petition had been signed by more than 6,000 people.
Last month, the bishop had announced his intention of proceeding with modified proposals.
Mr Austin Dunphy, architect said in an affidavit that the altar, altar rails and pulpit were noteworthy because of the workmanship, heritage, artistic value and decorative detail. He had seen few examples of such furnishings of comparable decorative and architectural accomplishment in Britain or Ireland.