The Church of the Assumption, Delvin.
The present Church replaced a smaller Church, which had been built in 1832. When the new Church was ready the roof was removed from the old Church and it lay derelict for almost forty years. It was renovated in 1918 and has since served as parish hall. There is a stone in the side wall with the inscription …
The site for the new Church was obtained on lease from Lord and Lady Greville on 12th February 1873. The Architect was Mr. G. C. Ashlin, who also designed Cobh Cathedral and the contractor was Mr. Davis. The foundation stone was laid on 26th October 1873 and Bishop Nulty dedicated the new Church on 2nd October 1881.
Parish Records give the following account of the building of the new Church.
The first step was to procure a site. An old man named Jemmy Lacy, belonging to the town, owned the field on which the Church now stands. Fr. Matthews gave him something for his goodwill and on Feb 12th, 1873 Lord and Lady Greville gave a lease for ever to Fr. Matthews and other Trustees for the site of a Church and Parochial House at a yearly rent of £4. The field contains 1 acre, 2 rood, 13 perch (Irish).
Fr. Tom Burke preached in the old chapel to raise funds. Sunday 2nd October, 1881 the new Church was blessed and opened by Dr. Nulty. The Preacher was Fr. Shinnors O.M.I.
For economy the spire is said not to be the height in the original plan. Lady Greville subscribed £500. Paddy Maguire (Balrath) gave £1000 for the High Altar and other subscriptions. Out of the money he had in trust, belonging to Bernard Burke, he gave another £350 towards procuring the bell.
Ashlin was Architect, Davis of Trim the builder. Davis is said to have lost heavily on account of the unexpected rise in the price of slates, but there is reason to believe that endeavoured to recoup himself by using inferior lead and a scant supply of down pipes. At any rate in 1892 the plumbing had to be done over again and a considerable addition had to be made to the piping.
The new seating of the 2 side aisles, 54 seats and 2 kneelers, was done by a bequest of Brigid Quinn, Rosmead. Three others bought one seat each. James Ennis, Delvin made the seats, £7-15-0 each. Miss Quinn afterwards gave an additional £100 to complete the seats.
The Church of St Livinus
With the completion of the new Church in Delvin in 1881 the priests and people of Delvin turned their thoughts to the replacement of the old church in Killulagh. A site was obtained from Mr Fetherstone of Rockview and Mr Ashlin was engaged as Archtect. The foundation stone was laid on 21st October 1888. It was almost complete in 1891 but because of financial constraints an altar was not provided until 1894. The Church is dedicated to St. Livinus, a local saint whose ministry is believed to date back to the time of St. Patrick.
PRIESTS WHO SERVED IN DELVIN PARISH
Six parish priests are known to have ministered in Delvin between 1690 and 1781. The first of these was Thomas Dease, who was succeeded by William Nugent c. 1695. His successor, Patrick Fitzsimons, was recorded as serving in 1704. He was succeeded by George Fleming. A second Fr. Nugent was his successor. He was succeeded by Patrick Ferrall, who died on 19th November, 1781 and was buried in Killulagh.
PARISH PRIESTS
1781 – 1788 Joseph Ferrall (a brother of Fr. Patrick).
1788 – 1792 Edward McCormick
1792 – 1830 James Moran
1830 – 1847 Joseph Fitzgerald
1847 – 1851 William J. Halligan
1852 – 1857 James Savage
1857 – 1860 John Nicholls
1860 – 1884 William Matthews
1884 – 1889 Joseph Higgins
1889 – 1891 Joseph Coyne
1892 – 1924 Patrick Tuite
1924 – 1935 James Flynn
1935 – 1939 John P. Finegan
1939 – 1945 Patrick Flynn
1945 – 1965 Denis Smyth
1965 – 1979 James Carey
1979 – 1992 Joseph Troy
1993 - Seamus Heaney
CURATES
1864 – 1871 Peter Murtagh
1868 – 1873 Patrick Muldoon
1873 – 1878 Thomas Cole
1873 – 1878 John Carey
1878 – 1885 Patrick Gough
1878 – 1880 Bernard Halpin
1880 – 1884 William Dermody
1884 – 1888 James Kelly
1888 – 1898 Peter Ledwith
1889 – 1889 John Robinson
1889 - 1890 William Rooney
1891 – 1892 Nicholas Woods
1896 – 1896 John Martin
1897 – 1899 James Clavin
1899 – 1901 Peter Cantwell
1901 – 1902 Matthew O’Farrell
1902 – 1904 Michael Dillon
1904 – 1906 Hugh McGrath
1904 – 1907 Patrick Kiernan
1906 – 1908 Emmet Conway
1907 – 1908 Francis Callan
1908 – 1908 Patrick Giles
1908 – 1915 James Daly
1908 – 1916 Peter Conlon
1915 – 1918 Thomas Caffrey
1916 – 1919 Martin Moore
1918 – 1922 John Cogan
1919 – 1930 William Scully
1922 – 1924 Michael Marry
1930 – 1936 Matthew Clavin
1934 – 1939 William Kelleghan
1936 – 1945 Patrick Rooney
1943 – 1944 Joseph McCarthy
1945 – 1959 Thomas Brady
1959 – 1965 Joseph McCarthy
1960 – 1960 Michael Lynn
1960 – 1961 Thomas Timmons
1960 – 1961 Patrick Deighan
1961 – 1963 Michael V. Daly
1963 – 1963 Edward Daly
1963 – 1963 Michael Sheerin
1963 – 1963 Peter Mulvany
1965 – 1968 Nicholas Dunican
1968 – 1977 Michael Keogh
1977 – 1979 Terence Bermingham
1982 – 1982 Austin Gogarty
1983 – 1998 Eugene O’Reilly