Country star John Hogan among those to help Arranmore church celebrate 200 years
St Crone’s Church is celebrating its bicentenary this year with a three-day celebration taking place in the church from Tuesday, August 5 to Thursday, August 7
Irish country music star John Hogan will be one of the stars on show as St Crone’s Church on Arranmore celebrates its 200th anniversary later this year.
St Crone’s Church is celebrating its bicentenary this year with a three-day celebration taking place in the church from Tuesday, August 5 to Thursday, August 7.
The event will include the first-ever concert in the chapel on Wednesday, August 6, with John Hogan as one of the confirmed artists performing. A special Mass will be held on Thursday, August 7, with former priests who served on the island, followed by refreshments and music in the community centre.
A commemorative booklet will also be published, featuring information on past priests and the history of the church since its establishment. Anyone with photos related to the church, including Confirmation or Holy Communion groups, or images of any priests who served there, is encouraged to share them with Denis O’Donnell or John McCafferty for scanning. All photos will be returned after scanning.
"Teach Pobal Naomh Croine is built at a point where three townlands meet – lllion, Gortgar and Ballintra — and the stream known to us as Abhainn Bhaile an tSratha runs into the sea just outside the wall which surrounds the church," Rosie Phete Dillon explains on www.arainnmhor.com.
"The first church was built here in 1825. Before that, there was a little thatched building which was used as a church but it is not known when that was built. The church built in 1825 had a floor of only blue clay and dóirlín (little stones) and for 50 years, the building contained no seating area.
Eventually, ten seats were put in place — five seats at each side of the altar. Those who used the seats were charged one penny for which they were given a ticket, and on leaving the church,h that ticket was collected from them again. Those who did not have a penny just knelt on the floor. The building had two doors, one for men and one for women. Men were not allowed to use the women's door nor were the women allowed to use the men’s door. Also men stayed to the left of the altar while the women went to the right of the altar. Indeed, thus it remained for many years.
"An extension was built in 1917. This extension consisted of the sacristy, which faces the sea and the longer aisle towards the back of the church. Stained glass windows were also installed. Rev. John McIntyre was curate on the island at that time. He was a big and strong man who often did manual work to help in the building of the extension. He was Parish Priest in Burtonport at the time of his death in 1952. He is buried here in Arranmore and his grave is directly underneath the sacristy window.
"In 1837 Mass on the island was celebrated only once in every three weeks as the island did not have a resident priest. The first priest, Rev. Seamus Hargan, came in 1847 during the Famine and, according to tradition, he carried the corpses of the Famine victims to the graveyard and buried them himself. Sadly, he himself died of a fever and is buried at Carraig a’ Chaisil. His last request was that he be buried in a sack as he did not want the community to have to bear the cost of his coffin. Most people were buried like that at the time."