400-year-old wood salvaged from Carrick-on-Suir church roof is transformed into altar chalice
Caption for picture above: Fr Tom Flynn, PP of Carrickbeg & Windgap Parish, is presented with the beautiful wooden chalice crafted from a salvaged roof beam in St Molleran’s Church in Carrickbeg, Carrick-on-Suir by members of Carrick-on-Suir Men’s Shed. Fr Flynn is pictured with the chalice in front of the altar in St Molleran’s Church with Men's Shed members from left Eamonn O’Donnell, Pat Callanan, James O’Neill, who crafted the chalice, John Kelly and Tom Coleman. Picture Anne Marie Magorrian
A beautifully crafted chalice made from the wood of a 200-year-old roof beam in St Molleran’s Church in Carrick-on-Suir is being used for the first time at Holy Souls Mass at the church this Friday morning, November 11.
Carrick-on-Suir Men’s Shed members presented the chalice to Carrickbeg & Windgap Parish Priest Fr Tom Flynn on Thursday, October 26.
Men’s Shed member James O’Neill worked on the timber from the 200-year-old roof beam to turn it into a unique wooden chalice that reveals the beautiful pattern and detail of the pine wood.
The tree that was the source of the wood used in the roof beam was at least 190-years-old before it was felled, which means the wood used to make the chalice is around 400-years-old.
The Carrickbeg church’s old roof beams were replaced when a new roof was put on St Molleran’s Church during renovations in 2016/2017.
The idea to create the chalice was proposed to the Men’s Shed before the Covid-19 pandemic but the crafting of it had to be delayed.
James O’Neill spoke of the importance of not making the chalice too thin in width due to the age of the timber.
It stands about 18 inches high.
Fr Flynn thanked the Men’s Shed delegation who presented the chalice to him. They were Eamonn O’Donnell, Pat Callanan, James O’Neill, John Kelly and Tom Coleman.
He said he was delighted with this special gift and spoke of the history of St Molleran’s Church and the intricate craftsmanship that existed centuries ago, which has remained mostly intact for everyone to see and admire to the present day.
Fr Flynn said the chalice will be used on Friday, November 11 at All Souls Mass at 7pm in St Molleran’s Church and also at 8pm Mass in the church on Christmas Eve.
Displayed on the wall at the back of the church is a wooden replica of a roof truss, (a framework supporting a roof bridge), to a scale of approximately 20:1, which had been located in the roof of the church up to the renovations. Des Kennedy from Whitechurch crafted the truss from the church’s salvaged roof timber.
Earlier this year, salvaged steel braces, nails, bolts, nuts and washers salvaged from the church’s old roof were transformed into a sculpture of a blacksmith at work in tribute to the blacksmiths who worked in their forges all over Ireland.
The Blacksmith sculpture was recently unveiled at Durrow Station on the Waterford Greenway. The design and creation of the sculpture was spearheaded by Dungarvan Men’s Shed while the sculpture was put together by Rathgormack based welder Gerry Kirwan.
Dungarvan Men’s Shed members also created wooden benches from wood salvaged from St Molleran’s Church old roof, which are now to be found at a number of rest points along the Waterford Greenway.
Timber and iron roof brackets also salvaged from St Molleran’s Church’s old roof were used to make a cross and seat for the infants plot at Carrick-on-Suir’s St Francis’ Paupers’ Cemetery where people who died in the town’s workhouse are buried.