The Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Dennehys Cross

History

The church was built as one of a group of churches on what was then the edge of Cork city, on the site of an old quarry and some adjoining pasture land. The land, together with the house that became the parochial house, was given by a Mr Hurley. The site was blessed by the Bishop of Cork, Dr Cornelius Lucey, in November 1956, and four years later the church was complete. It was designed by J.R. Boyd Barrett and built by Pat Shea and Co, with seating for 1,100.

Dr Lucey blessed and opened the church on Sunday 25 September 1960, the feast of St Finbarr, patron of the diocese. For its first ten years it formed part of St Finbarr's West Parish. The parish of Ballineaspaig was designated in 1970, and in 1982 it was divided again with the creation of the parishes of Wilton and Curraheen.

The building

The church is neo-classical in style, built of brick and limestone on a Latin cross plan with nave and transepts, 193 feet (58.83m) long and 98 feet (29.87m) wide. The dome rises 140 feet (42.67m) and is sheeted in copper. A large bronze lantern stands on top of it, surmounted by a cross 24 feet (7.32m) high. The design is reputed to have been influenced by churches Dr Lucey had seen during his visit to the Eucharistic Congress in Spain.

Notable features

The mosaic over the altar depicts the events of Pentecost described in Acts 2:1-4. It was designed and executed by the Italian artist Romeo Battistella, who was attached to International Mosaics of Roscommon. The parish records the church as the first in Ireland to be dedicated to the Descent of the Holy Spirit.