€1.6m lotto launched to help raise the Cathedral of the Assumption roof

The splendid Cathedral of the Assumption Thurles.

placeholder image — The splendid Cathedral of the Assumption Thurles.

The existing roof is fast approaching the end of its lifespan and will need to be fully replaced within the next 3-4 years

A major fundraising initiative has been launched this week to raise the very significant sum required to fund the cost of reroofing the Cathedral of the Assumption, Thurles.

The existing roof is fast approaching the end of its lifespan and will need to be fully replaced within the next 3-4 years and according to John McCormack of the Cathedral Reroofing Project Group, it is necessary to plan for this now and seek to put the required funds in place over the coming years. He confirmed that the estimated cost of the project will be circa €1.6 million.

The Cathedral was consecrated on June 22, 1879 by the then Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dr Croke. In its construction it was modelled on the Cathedral of Pisa in Northern Italy and for the last 142 years it has been central to the faith life of Thurles, the surrounding parishes, and the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly. Over that time, it has become the town’s most iconic building and is well loved and recognised by locals and visitors alike.

The last major renovation of the Cathedral took place almost 20 years ago and did not involve works to the roof as such work was not needed at that time. The roof was re-slated during the 1970’s but now, as the lifespan of these slates has expired, the time has come to replace the roof.

As is the case with old historic buildings, very extensive and costly repair works have to be undertaken on a continuous basis and the Cathedral is no exception to this. The most significant of these works in recent years were on The Bell Tower and the statues surrounding the building.

A new roof will complete this total refurbishment in the modern era and ensure that the Cathedral will remain a centre of celebration, consolation and worship for the parish and the diocese.

The fundraising initiative will be centred on the Thurles Cathedral “Raise the Roof” lotto. People can join for as little as €2 per week (for one line) or a maximum of €5 per week (for 3 lines) with the jackpot starting at €1,000 and rising every week if not won. Any week that the lotto is not won will see a draw for a cash prize.

John McCormack, pictured at the right in the above photo

“Given the very significant cost of the reroofing project we are hoping that the most popular option will be that of 3 lines per week for €5” said John McCormack, who added “the process of joining is very straight forward and once a person joins then there is nothing further for them to do and they will receive an email/text every week advising of the numbers drawn. They can also log on to the dedicated webpage at any stage to check on progress and for updates.”

Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Antoin O’Briain of the Cathedral Reroofing Project Group said “With the support of the public we will replace the roof with funds generated from our “Raise the Roof” lotto. People can help in a real and practical way by joining and who knows you might be lucky!” He concluded by saying: “You can join by going to the parish website at www.thurlesparish.ie and clicking on the “Join Lotto” button.

Antóin Ó Briain

Speaking on behalf of the parish clergy Fr. Jim Purcell, P.P. said: “We know that it has been a very difficult and challenging year for everyone and we in Thurles parish really appreciate all the help and support that we continue to receive. The Cathedral is a very expensive structure to maintain, and we must again turn to the people of the parish and archdiocese to assist with the significant cost of reroofing”.

Fr Jim Purcell, PP Thurles

How to Join

Go to www.thurlesparish.ie and click on the “Join Lotto” button. This will bring you to a secure webpage where you can choose your numbers and sign up to the lotto.