University of Galway History Seminar: Rebuilding a Ruptured Tradition: Catholic Architecture in Ireland, 1780-1829

University of Galway History Seminar

Dr Niamh NicGhabhann 

(University of Limerick)

Rebuilding a Ruptured Tradition: Catholic Architecture in Ireland, 1780-1829 

Abstract
By the end of the nineteenth century, Catholic churches and cathedrals in Ireland typically occupied commanding positions across urban and rural landscapes. With their towering spires and glittering interiors, they were powerful monuments to ideas of triumph over past adversity and pointed to an expansive, confident future for the Irish Catholic community. While these church and cathedral buildings evoked ideas of medieval grandeur, and expressed links to a venerable Catholic architectural tradition, they were the culmination of a century of architectural experimentation. This talk examines the first chapter of this period of growth and development, charting the varied approaches taken by different architects, patrons, and communities between 1780 and 1829. It will consider the impact of specific political, spatial, and economic circumstances on the way that chapel and church buildings were developed, highlighting the extraordinary diversity of this period of experimentation. In many ways, the buildings produced across the country, whether new builds, renovations of smaller existing structure, or reworkings of medieval sites, reflect the attempts to forge a Catholic architectural identity in the context of a ruptured tradition. 

Biography 

Dr Niamh NicGhabhann lectures in history at the University of Limerick. Her research focuses on Irish cultural history, with a particular emphasis on art, architecture, and antiquarian cultures. Medieval Ecclesiastical Buildings in Ireland, 1789-1915: Building on the Past was published in 2015 by Four Courts Press, and her current book project examines Catholic architecture in Ireland from the late 18th to the early 20th century. 

Registration

This is a hybrid event. The paper will be delivered, in-person, in Room G010, Hardiman Research Building, University of Galway and streamed simultaneously on Zoom: https://nuigalway-ie.zoom.us/j/96357887284.

To attend via Zoom, please register at: https://forms.office.com/e/XXefJyvXCt

This talk is part of the University of Galway History Seminar series.