by
Brian Gabriel and Chris Synnott
This church, situated in the hamlet of Waterloo, is located approximately 2.5 km north of the village of Blarney. It is tucked away in the north-east corner of the town-land of Knocknasuff. The place-name appears to be of Dutch origin. The first element is most likely water, which should be understood in Waterloo not as “water” but as “wet”. The second element is lo(o), an ancient word for “forest” or “clearing in a forest”, coming from the Latin words lucus (forest) or lucum (clearing in a forest). Very apt for this location!
A bridge was built across the River Martin joining lands on both sides of the river previously accessible only by stepping stones. It was constructed by absentee landlord, George Putland, to commemorate the final action of the Napoleonic Wars, fought near the Belgian village of Waterloo on June 18th 1815, when Napoleon and his French Army were defeated by the British and Prussian armies under Wellington and Blucher. Originally known as ‘Putland’s Bridge’, it is today more commonly known as Waterloo Bridge and as time went on, the general area nearby also took on the name Waterloo. The bridge was blown up during ‘The Troubles’ c.1922 and its marking stone lost.
Thomas Putland of Dublin was a speculator who, on the 22nd April 1703, for the sum of £4,070-16-0 bought lands, totalling 1740 acres, which had been confiscated from Donagh, Earl of Clancarty, a supporter of King James II. These lands were comprised of Killowen, Knocknasuff, Ballinaraha, Ardamadane, Ballygibbon, East and West Ballinacagy (Dawstown) and a part of Knocknacorbally. The Putlands actively encouraged improvements in tenants’ holdings and made very generous contributions to the local schools, churches and dispensaries. Fr. Matt Horgan was to describe them in 1835 as ‘the best of landlords’.
In 1815, a site was granted rent-free by Thomas Creamer to Rev. John Lane, who was parish priest of Blarney from 1799 to 1815, for the construction of a parish church. Fr. Matt Horgan, his curate, who was born in nearby Ballinaraha in 1775, designed and oversaw the building of this new church on a height overlooking the picturesque glen at Waterloo. It was reported at the time that ‘upwards of fifty poor men from the parish and tradesmen from Cork are employed in the building of ‘a handsome Gothic Church’. On completion in 1817, it was dedicated to St. Mary. In the south facing wall was embedded a most handsomely carved old Gaelic script stone plaque which records that ‘Fr. Matt and his people came together to erect this church under the protection of Mary’. During restoration work in 2000 the plaque was removed from this location and re-positioned inside the church, at the Gospel. It was done to preserve this valuable and rare item from the ravages of weather, as it was showing wear of the script.
In the year 2000, Canon Vincent O’Donohue, the then P.P., requested Mr. John O’Connell F.R.I.A.I. to organise repair/restoration work to St. Mary’s. Sections of aging plasterwork had fallen from the west-facing older walls, leaving them exposed, while other areas were in a dangerous condition. A building contractor, Pat O’Regan Construction Ltd of Mallow, was duly appointed to carry out the renovation work and when they hacked off the old plaster on the original wing, they found various old door and window openings in the gable walls. Furthermore, they found ‘pockets’ for beams, for an old original external stairs, which also had a white limestone Holy Water font on the staircase. This was broken when Fr. Matt Horgan’s original church of 1817 was altered and then extended later during Fr. Alex Peyton’s renovations in 1858. Some remnants of the Holy Water font were carefully taken out and stored in St. Mary’s Church. A section of the font is still preserved beneath the new plaster work. Mr. John O’Connell is in a position to show Phase 1 of the original 1817 Church and the later 1858 Phase 2 Church extension built under Fr. Peyton.
As the plans show that there was a first-floor Gallery in the original Church, which was removed when it was extended and altered to a Cruciform-shaped layout later. The Sanctuary and main entrance were changed around, while the Sacristy appears to be substantially in the same location. The doors from this to the original Church have been closed up, and plastered over, and a new door to the existing Sanctuary, has been opened from the enlarged Sacristy (See Plans). John O’Connell is happy to stand over this conjectural restoration by virtue of being reasonably familiar with the work of Fr. Matt. Horgan. His plasterwork, eyebrow moulding and some of his detailing carried through from building to building in his work.
Fr. Matt Horgan was officially parish priest of Blarney from 1822 up to his death in 1849, aged 75 years, 45 of which were in the priesthood with 34 of these being served in the parish duties of Blarney and Whitechurch. During the final years of his life, he was a very ill man and he eventually expired at his residence on Friday 1st March 1849. Born in nearby Ballinaraha in 1775, he was a man of great charity, a scholar, antiquarian and patriot who had a passion for designing and building churches. He played a major part in uncovering the key to the ‘Ogham’ alphabet, which enabled archaeologists to correctly decipher the inscriptions on the ancient stones. Under his direction, the design and building of nearby St. Patrick’s Church (1822) and Round Tower (1832) in Whitechurch, as well as St. Mary’s Church and Round Tower in Waterloo, and a number of others churches were completed.
John Mulcahy, of the Blarney & District Historical Society, has comprehensively covered much of Fr. Matt’s life and his achievements in various issues of the ‘Old Blarney’ Journals.
OFFICE AND HIGH MASS FOR THE REV. MATTHEW HORGAN
At seven o’clock on Saturday morning, the body of Rev. Mr. Horgan was removed from his residence to the parish chapel of Blarney; and a little before the usual hour, the clergy from several parishes of the diocese began to assemble. The attendance of the parishioners was small; but it was owing to the general disbelief that the internment was to take place that day, and the prevailing idea that it would not take place at least before Sunday. The same disbelief prevented a large number of the friends of the lamented deceased in this city from having attended. However, in spite of the extreme shortness of the notice, some few of his personal friends attended.
The gallery was rather respectfully filled. At the usual hour the clergy entered the sanctuary, and took their positions at each side of the coffin, which was placed on a slight elevation in the centre of the choir. The solemn service for the dead and high mass were chanted and offered up amid the prayers of the congregation. Funeral Report Cork Examiner of 5th March 1849.
The above item is taken from a much larger article titled, ‘Memorial Plaques and Windows in Blarney and District Churches ‘ which was printed in Issue number 8 of ‘Old Blarney’ Journal.
A limited number of back issues of ‘Old Blarney’ Journals and ‘Old Blarney’ Photo-Journals are still available by contacting 087 2153216. Please check www.blarneyhistory.ie for information