irishtourist

www.irelandtravelkit.com/the-little-ark-church-on-wheels-...
fancinating !

Streetview

There is an RC Chapel on this site in the 25". Not the 6".

This Diocesan page gives a history, saying construction began 1909.

This DIA entry suggests the plans had a 66ft tower.


Edit: Nope, different Star of the Sea. The one we want is Kilbaha.

Flickr ir sometimes amazing! In 2017 with history via murphman61

This history page at Clare library does not have nice photos like Foxglove's page above, but it gives dates for the church:

A site was finally granted in late 1856 by Fr. Meehan refused it for the reason that it was on a bog. Pressure was put on the landlord and a new site was granted. The first stone was laid on the 12th of July 1857 at Moneen, a mile from the site where the ark stood. The church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea was dedicated on the 10th of October 1858. At first the ark was brought to the site and was used until the church was ready. It was later placed inside the church doors to the left, until the present building to the house was added

Given that the church is so old, i am surprised it is not in the NIAH.

The DIA has a bare bones entry:

CO. CLARE, KILBAHA, CHURCH (RC)
Name: UNKNOWN ARCHITECT
Building: CO. CLARE, KILBAHA, CHURCH (RC)
Date: 1857p
Nature: New church to be built.
Refs: B 9, 18 Jul 1857, 409

Duchas.ie has TWO stories about the Little Ark -
www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922370/4875033?HighlightText=littl...

And this wonderful first hand account of the building of the Ark from a 97 year old man - www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5162145/5158555?HighlightText=littl...

" ... One morning in 1852 I visited Father Meehan to find out where he was to say Mass on that morning. Father Meehan said: "Well Tom, I have a new idea. I was in Kilrush on yesterday and I travelled to Kilkee in Moore's Omnibus. It struck me that if I made something like Moore's omnibus I could say Mass in it in Kilbaha". Moore owned a hotel in Kilkee and had cabs plying between Kilkee and Cappa to take visitors to and from his hotel.
Father Meehan got Owen Collins, a Carrigaholt carpenter to build what is known as the Little Ark. It was built on the street in Carrigaholt opposite Collin's house as his shop was too small to accomodate it. When built a horse was yoked to it and it was drawn to Kilbaha accompanied by a large crowd from Carrigaholt.
A few soupers threw stones at it in Kilbaha but it was not done a second time. Marcus Keane prosecuted Father Meehan for placing a "nuisance" on the shore at Kilbaha. Mr Mac Cullough was the R.M. He sent to the National School for a dictionary to get the meaning of "nuisance". He dismissed the case. Mass was said in the Ark from 1852 to 1859. Marcus Keane was forced by public opinion to grant a site for a church and the present church at Moneen was commenced in 1858. ..."

Read All About It, via 'The Irish Sod' - theirishsod.blogspot.com/2012/12/irelands-bethlehem.html

Google Satellite - maps.app.goo.gl/a84JpjT8F4ysgCGz9
53.540924, -7.871162

There is a record at the NIAH which agrees with the beachcombers source: occupied for just 10 years until burnt in 1642, after which the nuns moved to Athlone.

A Madonna statue of bog oak from the convent survives in Galway: poorclares.ie/our-lady-of-bethlehem-athlone-madonna

The building was featured in a full-page article in the Evening Herald (Dublin) Thursday 24 December 1992.

Last year. Poor Clare nuns from around the world visited the ivy -clad ruins in Co Westmeath when the order celebrated the 350th anniversary of the flight of the nuns who escaped to Galway by taking to boats on Lough Ree.

It also mentions the Streven family, on whose farm it stands, who had cleared the ivy and received many letters from nuns who had visited.

Mr French / Lawarence supplies a wider view earlier - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000322134

Edit - He is holding a stick in his right hand.

Looking through the survey photos on the NBHS (NIAH) site it appears Mr Boru is not there anymore.
NLI needs a Missing Statue tag.

www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/11805...

O Mac As you wish!

And you reminded me of this statue, so added Moving, rather than Missing Statue tag.
[https://flic.kr/p/whSXd5]

“AI Overview The famous wooden carving at Celbridge Abbey in County Kildare, historically localized as the "Brian Boru Statue", is a rustic, weather-worn sculpture. It stands within the tranquil, historic grounds along the River Liffey that were famously associated with Jonathan Swift.
Historically, this piece is an example of local folklore rather than an authentic depiction of the High King.
It is one of a few scattered, traditional representations of Brian Boru found around Ireland”

Still no news of his current whereabouts

Has the statue succumbed to decay, being wooden, and no longer exists?