Parishioners 'very upset' after Dublin city church burns

EXTENSIVE FIRE damage to a historical church in Dublin’s inner city has caused “very real upset” for parishioners in the area.

The full extent of the fire and smoke damage to St Catherine of Alexandria Church on Meath Street, in the Liberties area, was not fully known last night, said Fr Niall Coghlan.

It may force the church to close for a number of months he added. “Garda forensics are still in there so none of us has been able to get in to have a proper look,” he said. “I was able to have a short look with a torch last night. It is badly damaged.”

The church was closed and cordoned off with blue-and-white Garda tape yesterday, and a garda stood outside. Parishioners were still coming and going from the shrine behind the church building, accessible via a narrow lane to the side.

Fr Coghlan said the crib had caught fire and a “fireball went up from there to the end of the roof and blew out some of the stained windows. So it’s not just a mopping up that will be needed. Our parishioners are biting at the bit to get in and clean up, but we will need professionals. It will take some time to get it back on its feet but it is salvageable.”

The 19th-century church had been constantly busy, he said, as it was open from 7.30am to 5pm, seven days a week.

“People are in and out all day. I wouldn’t say there are large numbers at Mass but the local people are tremendously proud of St Catherine’s, very proud of its beauty and its history. People’s parents and grandparents and great grandparents have all contributed to the church and so people really feel they have a vested interest in it. It is their church.”

The parish pastoral council would convene in coming days, he said, to decide on how to proceed. The church is insured, said Fr Coghlan, who has “no idea” how much the restoration would cost or how long the church would be closed for.

“I think we’re in for the long haul though. One thing about Dublin 8 is there is no shortage of churches and I sure some of our neighbouring churches will be happy to accommodate people.

“But people are very, very upset. They are very committed to the church and proud of it. I was the parish priest here for 10 years, from 1991 to 2001, and in 2004 I came back.

“I wouldn’t have come back if I hadn’t loved the people around. They are great people – lovely, warm – and many of them will be devastated that this has happened to their church.”