The Cathedral. Chapter house Window. Caitriona Sheedy
Change was the final essence of place for summing up, emergency came into that also. The need for us to reconnect with spiritual selves. Power so we can act in tune with this world was the intention inspiring this first piece, to bring healing and resolution, transmutation of fear of personal power and healing of wounds from action of church. The other pieces were developed in a hope to resolve the hurt and anger that was brought up through this study, as the depth of the churches significance on so many lives was really magnified. The effect of the abuses within the church is so damaging to our spiritual self and our faith as it’s purpose was to protect and guide the spirit.
Caitriona Sheedy.
Window of Chapter Room at Cathedral of St Peter and Paul.
Steps of project..
Began with Walk tues May 14th 2013. Although it might seem quite logical for me to pick the Cathedral as it is a sacred site, it is on a much deeper gut level that you are drawn to chose your area of focus. I was aware that it is not historically a sacred site, pre the building of this cathedral. I did feel a pull towards this part of the cathedral in the week or two leading up to the project. On the initial walk I let the others lead and as we passed the front of the cathedral only, my heart ached. And on this walk the area that I felt a strong inclination towards was the weeping willows between Glor Arts centre and the Friars walk. So a week later I took a second walk I visited both sites again and felt certain that the right choice to make was this spot at the cathedral.
Began observational drawing, June. On my first day I sat down and began drawing the back of the building and a curious lady came to ask me was I drawing the window, as she did my page blew up in the air and over the wall in the wind. I jumped over, retrieved it and she graciously helped me back over the wall, I then decided to do just that and focus on just the window.
During the process of observation I felt a lot of doubt about my choice of place within the Cathedral, it being a fantastic building in itself with beautiful features and marvellous windows and I had picked the window at the back with peeling paint. I hoped this was a more general feeling that I was tuning in to and not my own self-doubt. In the time I was there I witnessed the coming and goings of christenings and funerals. People requesting anniversary masses and the overwhelming significance of this structure within our society sank in.
On Saturday the 6th of July I returned again…I notice a sign indicating funeral parking across in the hotel carpark. It seems like what’s behind the window is changed, looks like wooden boxes before seemed like stacked books. Or is it just the lighting and my view? Busy with cars coming in and out of car park behind me, hear someone mention scouts. I begin to get into drawing this window. I see family all dressed up and find out from a photographer who comes over that it was a christening he had just been to. Priest stops to inquire and wishes me luck. Have to leave before I feel ready as I am called away.
Sat 11th August - 4 Directions Map. What was here before through evidence. A field, children playing, flowers?
HISTORY: Pre 1735 Catholics had built a solid chapel in a laneway soon named Chapel Lane. Although penal laws were still enforced practice was tolerated if not obtrusive. In 1821 it was decided that a new chapel was needed and 7 years later in Jan1828. Francis Gore, notably a protestant, donated the cathedral site on upper Gaol st. asking for only a nominal rent. Dean Terence O’Shaughnessy issued instructions for its design and by July plans were decided on. Dominic Madden designed the church and in 1831 works began and the church opened in 1842 with spires and porches being completed in 1871. The building of the church was intermittent in the 1830’s, financially it was a real struggle. In Sept 1837, two men were killed and two others seriously injured when scaffolding collapsed. This was the time preceding the great famine and many of the parishoners were living in terrible poverty. In 1894 there was major renovations to the main entrance. This involved knocking through a six feet wall and major painting and decorating. The contractor Joshua Clarke of Dublin was the father of the famous stained glass artist Harry Clarke, he was 5 at this time. From 1894, the cathedral remained mostly unchanged. Nearly eighty years on, the sacristy was built, which housed the chapter room to allow for meetings of the diocesan. Also in the 1930’s a new organ was installed and Ernest de Regge was employed as organist and as choir master, he was a composer and specialist in Gregorian chant. He was tragically killed along with 7 others in 1958 when a roof collapsed at a furniture auction in Carmody’s Hotel.
I learnt that a cathedral is the principal church of the dioceses and contains a bishop’s throne. As it happened there were two cathedrals in the dioceses of Killaloe, the other being in Nenagh but in 1973, Bishop Michael Harty resolved the matter by giving Ennis cathedral status. The church and the ruling bishops of the time played a major part in the lives of the people,
Whats this place saying to me – I am distracted, and I am drawn to sketch some other windows, the patterns that appear in these designs. The thought of “what a fantastic building and why focus on this point”, feeling confused and again hoping this doubt is from the larger meaning. I inquire in to what is the function of this room? I have not yet discovered this.
Thurs 21st August. Realize it is the Chapter Room. Built in the 1930’s. I feel enthused to find out that this is the chapter room and used for meetings of the diocesan chapter of canons”. I find out that this room, is used for seminars on spirituality and by members of the lay community now. I ask again “what is this place saying to me and what comes is “ To find out more”, Seek:”
I feel encouraged like the feeling I had of what I am doing here has left and there is purpose, a meaning to me having picked this spot.
The window looking in. As I leave, the hunger getting the better of me, I feel quite rooted to this wall and I wonder what was on this particular spot before, this boundary wall between the car park and the church. I see as I leave a planning notice, to knock the side buidings – the Maria Assumpta Hall to build new parish offices.
There is a large sign facing out to the street promoting a spiritual event for youth. It makes me wonder. I think of feelings of embarrassment I might have or have had in “proclaiming belief in God”. How do young people feel about the church, about religion, about spirituality.
On the final visit of this project, I drew the sketch for the painting below. Sept 10th, two days after Clare have won the all Ireland hurling match, it was a replay with Cork. It feels like its going to rain. I plan to retrace my steps to bring me back into this space. Focusing on my breath I look at the trees as the wind blows, I notice a beautiful red berried tree on the grounds. A flock of crows noisily pass over head as I check. This particular part of the building was put up in the 1930's. A meeting place for the diocesan chapter. The Clare bunting hanging from the window on the right and two Clare flags. I hear ambulance sirens loudly in the distance, lots of sirens for a long time, I try to make out where they were coming from. As I listen the other traffic begins to drown out the sound, until it is as if it's in my imagination, until it finally disappears and we are left with just the sound of traffic and leaves rustling as they are blown on the ground. Everything slows, cyclist goes by. How do I capture the essence of this place. I look at the window, I have already thought that the emergency and the return to calm might help me with this. The bells begin to chime from across the town. The bells chime from here now much more quickly. 12 and then again, I think of the angelus, the time to quite and go inwards. That lost tradition. The similarity of the muslim call to prayer. A siren begins again. This time to my right and the birds go on noisily, cars continue, leaves pick up speed as wind does. The siren continues to my left front. It stops. I realize I am looking around and avoiding the window. I look at it and ask what is this place saying to me. I will wait. I feel a warmth in my upper stomach. Banding around me. Allow the site to inspire and create a piece to sum up the essence of the place. Try to feel not think.I put my book down and wait. I have to say I feel little mad sitting hear staring at this window. What is here, a window. A window into a disconnected room. I know that the purpose of the room has changed, religion has changed and teachings are different but at it's core if we strip away the human need to control we have the human need for peace. To go inward, to slow down. I see this window as a portal. It has changed from a room for the "chapter" to a room that has been used for talks on spirituality. I close my eyes. I see black. I open my eyes again and ask for inspiration to help with this 'summing up' - what is the essence of this place. I think change.
What can the church teach us, what wisdom can we gain, this church, this cathedral. This place that people are baptized, all the ceremonies performed, our cultures need for it, the personal need for it and what happens if it is gone, what have we got. (just for the record I am not a catholic, although brought up that way, I stopped attending mass from age 13 on.) Our spirits to be violated by the people entrusted to preserve and nurture them, those who 'led the way'. A window is a place between the outside and the inside, where one can look out but we are instructed not to look in out of manners. The noise from the crows keep taking my attention away, it is time to leave. They quieten! The children begin to come out to play in school yard across the way.
18-09-13
I felt angry as I worked on this final piece. How the structure at the core of our society has been so corrupt and yet so vocal and active in condemning its people.
How our sense, of spirit has been sullied by the institution that is built on guiding it. How sexuality, especially women’s sexuality, has been almost demonized. The confusion and shame, this brings. And how with in it’s own structure this corruption has manifested as a monster, abusing children and protecting the perpetrators. The patriarchal authority in itself is too much for me to take. Yet people are baptized, make their communion, confirmation, go to confession for absolution (although I don’t know how common this is anymore) get married, get buried despite what the powers that be have done, I’m told the church is the people and they will not loose their faith, others say they don’t believe but just go through the motions, how healthy is that and what does that mean for the future.
Where do we go from here, spirituality is a human need, we are not just physical beings.
Post summing up - 19-09-13 Morning of hanging exhibition. Insights. Out walking today I saw a tree fallen/toppled over, it was a very large tree, it had grown to a great height but evidently it had fallen as it had grown at the edge of the river on extremely shallow soil, a few inches below was solid rock and it made me think that we cannot establish firm and strong roots on solid and unsympathetic foundations, one that will not allow us to explore and find a way. Although we will grow and even reach full maturity and appear to be very solid, eventually the pressure of the elements will knock us, we need to go deep to really find our strength, support our own structure. We can fear asking questions, but where does that fear stem from?
Power so we can act in tune with this world was the intention inspiring this first piece, to bring healing and resolution, transmutation of fear of personal power and healing of wounds from action of church.
Caitriona Sheedy.
Window of Chapter Room at Cathedral of St Peter and Paul.
Steps of project..
Began with Walk tues May 14th 2013. Although it might seem quite logical for me to pick the Cathedral as it is a sacred site, it is on a much deeper gut level that you are drawn to chose your area of focus. I was aware that it is not historically a sacred site, pre the building of this cathedral. I did feel a pull towards this part of the cathedral in the week or two leading up to the project. On the initial walk I let the others lead and as we passed the front of the cathedral only, my heart ached. And on this walk the area that I felt a strong inclination towards was the weeping willows between Glor Arts centre and the Friars walk. So a week later I took a second walk I visited both sites again and felt certain that the right choice to make was this spot at the cathedral.
Began observational drawing, June. On my first day I sat down and began drawing the back of the building and a curious lady came to ask me was I drawing the window, as she did my page blew up in the air and over the wall in the wind. I jumped over, retrieved it and she graciously helped me back over the wall, I then decided to do just that and focus on just the window.
During the process of observation I felt a lot of doubt about my choice of place within the Cathedral, it being a fantastic building in itself with beautiful features and marvellous windows and I had picked the window at the back with peeling paint. I hoped this was a more general feeling that I was tuning in to and not my own self-doubt. In the time I was there I witnessed the coming and goings of christenings and funerals. People requesting anniversary masses and the overwhelming significance of this structure within our society sank in.
On Saturday the 6th of July I returned again…I notice a sign indicating funeral parking across in the hotel carpark. It seems like what’s behind the window is changed, looks like wooden boxes before seemed like stacked books. Or is it just the lighting and my view? Busy with cars coming in and out of car park behind me, hear someone mention scouts. I begin to get into drawing this window. I see family all dressed up and find out from a photographer who comes over that it was a christening he had just been to. Priest stops to inquire and wishes me luck. Have to leave before I feel ready as I am called away.
Sat 11th August - 4 Directions Map. What was here before through evidence. A field, children playing, flowers?
HISTORY: Pre 1735 Catholics had built a solid chapel in a laneway soon named Chapel Lane. Although penal laws were still enforced practice was tolerated if not obtrusive. In 1821 it was decided that a new chapel was needed and 7 years later in Jan1828. Francis Gore, notably a protestant, donated the cathedral site on upper Gaol st. asking for only a nominal rent. Dean Terence O’Shaughnessy issued instructions for its design and by July plans were decided on. Dominic Madden designed the church and in 1831 works began and the church opened in 1842 with spires and porches being completed in 1871. The building of the church was intermittent in the 1830’s, financially it was a real struggle. In Sept 1837, two men were killed and two others seriously injured when scaffolding collapsed. This was the time preceding the great famine and many of the parishoners were living in terrible poverty. In 1894 there was major renovations to the main entrance. This involved knocking through a six feet wall and major painting and decorating. The contractor Joshua Clarke of Dublin was the father of the famous stained glass artist Harry Clarke, he was 5 at this time. From 1894, the cathedral remained mostly unchanged. Nearly eighty years on, the sacristy was built, which housed the chapter room to allow for meetings of the diocesan. Also in the 1930’s a new organ was installed and Ernest de Regge was employed as organist and as choir master, he was a composer and specialist in Gregorian chant. He was tragically killed along with 7 others in 1958 when a roof collapsed at a furniture auction in Carmody’s Hotel.
I learnt that a cathedral is the principal church of the dioceses and contains a bishop’s throne. As it happened there were two cathedrals in the dioceses of Killaloe, the other being in Nenagh but in 1973, Bishop Michael Harty resolved the matter by giving Ennis cathedral status. The church and the ruling bishops of the time played a major part in the lives of the people,
Whats this place saying to me – I am distracted, and I am drawn to sketch some other windows, the patterns that appear in these designs. The thought of “what a fantastic building and why focus on this point”, feeling confused and again hoping this doubt is from the larger meaning. I inquire in to what is the function of this room? I have not yet discovered this.
Thurs 21st August. Realize it is the Chapter Room. Built in the 1930’s. I feel enthused to find out that this is the chapter room and used for meetings of the diocesan chapter of canons”. I find out that this room, is used for seminars on spirituality and by members of the lay community now. I ask again “what is this place saying to me and what comes is “ To find out more”, Seek:”
I feel encouraged like the feeling I had of what I am doing here has left and there is purpose, a meaning to me having picked this spot.
The window looking in. As I leave, the hunger getting the better of me, I feel quite rooted to this wall and I wonder what was on this particular spot before, this boundary wall between the car park and the church. I see as I leave a planning notice, to knock the side buidings – the Maria Assumpta Hall to build new parish offices.
There is a large sign facing out to the street promoting a spiritual event for youth. It makes me wonder. I think of feelings of embarrassment I might have or have had in “proclaiming belief in God”. How do young people feel about the church, about religion, about spirituality.
On the final visit of this project, I drew the sketch for the painting below. Sept 10th, two days after Clare have won the all Ireland hurling match, it was a replay with Cork. It feels like its going to rain. I plan to retrace my steps to bring me back into this space. Focusing on my breath I look at the trees as the wind blows, I notice a beautiful red berried tree on the grounds. A flock of crows noisily pass over head as I check. This particular part of the building was put up in the 1930's. A meeting place for the diocesan chapter. The Clare bunting hanging from the window on the right and two Clare flags. I hear ambulance sirens loudly in the distance, lots of sirens for a long time, I try to make out where they were coming from. As I listen the other traffic begins to drown out the sound, until it is as if it's in my imagination, until it finally disappears and we are left with just the sound of traffic and leaves rustling as they are blown on the ground. Everything slows, cyclist goes by. How do I capture the essence of this place. I look at the window, I have already thought that the emergency and the return to calm might help me with this. The bells begin to chime from across the town. The bells chime from here now much more quickly. 12 and then again, I think of the angelus, the time to quite and go inwards. That lost tradition. The similarity of the muslim call to prayer. A siren begins again. This time to my right and the birds go on noisily, cars continue, leaves pick up speed as wind does. The siren continues to my left front. It stops. I realize I am looking around and avoiding the window. I look at it and ask what is this place saying to me. I will wait. I feel a warmth in my upper stomach. Banding around me. Allow the site to inspire and create a piece to sum up the essence of the place. Try to feel not think.I put my book down and wait. I have to say I feel little mad sitting hear staring at this window. What is here, a window. A window into a disconnected room. I know that the purpose of the room has changed, religion has changed and teachings are different but at it's core if we strip away the human need to control we have the human need for peace. To go inward, to slow down. I see this window as a portal. It has changed from a room for the "chapter" to a room that has been used for talks on spirituality. I close my eyes. I see black. I open my eyes again and ask for inspiration to help with this 'summing up' - what is the essence of this place. I think change.
What can the church teach us, what wisdom can we gain, this church, this cathedral. This place that people are baptized, all the ceremonies performed, our cultures need for it, the personal need for it and what happens if it is gone, what have we got. (just for the record I am not a catholic, although brought up that way, I stopped attending mass from age 13 on.) Our spirits to be violated by the people entrusted to preserve and nurture them, those who 'led the way'. A window is a place between the outside and the inside, where one can look out but we are instructed not to look in out of manners. The noise from the crows keep taking my attention away, it is time to leave. They quieten! The children begin to come out to play in school yard across the way.
18-09-13
I felt angry as I worked on this final piece. How the structure at the core of our society has been so corrupt and yet so vocal and active in condemning its people.
How our sense, of spirit has been sullied by the institution that is built on guiding it. How sexuality, especially women’s sexuality, has been almost demonized. The confusion and shame, this brings. And how with in it’s own structure this corruption has manifested as a monster, abusing children and protecting the perpetrators. The patriarchal authority in itself is too much for me to take. Yet people are baptized, make their communion, confirmation, go to confession for absolution (although I don’t know how common this is anymore) get married, get buried despite what the powers that be have done, I’m told the church is the people and they will not loose their faith, others say they don’t believe but just go through the motions, how healthy is that and what does that mean for the future.
Where do we go from here, spirituality is a human need, we are not just physical beings.
Post summing up - 19-09-13 Morning of hanging exhibition. Insights. Out walking today I saw a tree fallen/toppled over, it was a very large tree, it had grown to a great height but evidently it had fallen as it had grown at the edge of the river on extremely shallow soil, a few inches below was solid rock and it made me think that we cannot establish firm and strong roots on solid and unsympathetic foundations, one that will not allow us to explore and find a way. Although we will grow and even reach full maturity and appear to be very solid, eventually the pressure of the elements will knock us, we need to go deep to really find our strength, support our own structure. We can fear asking questions, but where does that fear stem from and can we move past it?
