By Róise Collins
PREPERATIONS are underway for the bicentenary celebrations of St Crone’s Church in Arranmore, which will take place this summer.
The three day celebration will mark 200 years since the opening of the building proudly perched at a point where three of the island’s townlands meet.
The building replaced a small thatched cottage that was used as a church up until 1825.
Upon opening, the church had no seating and two doors, one for men and one for women.
Men kept to the left of the altar and women remained on the right.
Eventually seating was added, with only ten seats in total, five at each side of the altar. Those who used the seats were charged one penny.
In 1917 an extension was added. This saw the welcome addition of a sacristy, a longer aisle towards the back of the church and the installation of stained glass windows.
Local man Hugh Rodgers is the chairperson of the committee organising the bicentenary celebrations.
He and other islanders are compiling a booklet with information of St Crone’s Church which will explore the history of the church since its opening.
The booklet will also contain details of the priests who served the island over the last 200 years, those who guided the close knit community through many tragedies, from famine to devastating sea disasters.
Mr Rodgers is currently hunting for photos relating to the church to be included in the booklet. He has made a call to Arranmore natives to reach out if they have any relevant photos, which will be returned after scanning.
“The photos could be from holy communions, confirmations, weddings or of priests who served on the island,” Mr Rodgers explained.
The three-day celebration will take place in the church from Tuesday, August 5 to Thursday, August 7.
The celebrations will include a special concert, the first concert ever hosted in St Crone’s Church, as well as a special Mass with former priests that served on the island.
Further details of the celebration will be confirmed by the committee in the coming months.
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