This is the smallest Roman Catholic Church church in Ireland and allegedly the second smallest in the world, and is situated on the corner between Main Street and Bridge Street in Carrick-on-Shannon. It's so tiny that it might easily go unnoticed.
It is 4.88 metres long and 3.66 metres wide. The entrance faces to the west, the gate is between two pillars surmounted by two Celtic cross of wonderful design. On the left-hand side of the entrance to the chapel is a raised monogram with the letters E.M.C. and the Latin motto "Ne te quaesiveris extra", meaning "Do not seek outside yourself". On the right-hand side of the entrance is the Costello coat of arms and the same motto.
No timber was used to build the chapel, and all the internal masonry is of the same material of the exterior. Behind the altar is a stained glass window designed by Mayer of Munich, a German company responsible for designing about 90 stained glass windows throughout the Irish island.
The church was commissioned by Edward Costello to be the resting place for her beloved wife Mary Josephine Costello, who died on October 6th, 1877, aged 47.
The church was unveiled on April 22nd, 1879, and after a Requiem Mass the beautiful coffin of Mary Josephin was interred to the left of the entrance. The place of burial was then covered with a lid of thick glass.
Edward Costello died on March 7th, 1891, aged 68, and his remains were buried to the right of the entrance, and a lid of the same special glass was placed upon the burial.
The coffin of Josephine, though, has suffered a severe deterioration and seems to be crumbling away.
|