Report on the Completion of the Refurbishment of our Parish Church – Project 200

The Church of the Assumption and Saints Columbanus and Gall

October 2020

Dear Parishioner,

Just over a year ago I wrote to you regarding the completion of Phase 1 of our Project 200 (the refurbishment of our Parish Church), and also about further works that then needed to be addressed, which we now call Phase 2. I am happy to report that all these works on our Church have been completed as follows:

Phase 1

Demolition & reconstruction of the original South Gable Wall and the Boiler House;

Re-roofing of both pitched roofs with natural slate;

Re-roofing of flat roofs and work on the valleys;

Electrical re-wiring of the Church and restoration of external Ground Lights;

Upgrading the Sacristy including the dry lining and skimming of walls and installation of a roof skylight and installation of special security safe;

Extending insulation in the church attic to eliminate ceiling staining;

Replacing seven clerestory windows;

Upgrading the church sound system

Phase 2

Painting and re-decoration: The interior and exterior of the Church; the Parish Pastoral Centre;

Church Porches: repairs to doors including automation of side porch doors; new flooring and notice boards;

Internal dry lining of the whole Sanctuary and West Wall;

Stripping back and re-sealing the Church floor;

Further upgrading of the Boiler-House;

Repairs to the window frames;

A new Scripture Display Unit;

The installation of a brass handrail beside the Ambo;

A new Cover for the Baptismal Font.

Costs

The costs of this project were as follows:

Phase 1: €579,769.00

Phase 2: €166,172.00

Overall total Cost: €745,941.00

This has all been a major financial undertaking and could not have happened without your acceptance of much disruption and inconvenience, and also your extraordinary spirit of generosity and financial support for the whole project.

The Funding received from the start of the project in 2017 up till 30^th June this year came to €607,997

This was made up of a Bequest of €379,534, a Gubay Grant of €25,243 and Parishioners’ Special Donations to the Building Fund of €203,220.

In addition, €125,000 was drawn down from our parish’s special reserve funds during the course of the project. At the end we were left with a deficit of €12,944 which has been covered from current funds.

We are most grateful to you all for your extraordinary generosity which made the project possible. We also say a special word of thanks to all the members of our Parish Building Committee who tirelessly pursued this project and whose unseen labours over countless hours have produced such a wonderful outcome.

In these challenging times we continue to pray for an end to the Covid19 pandemic, and it is also our prayer that we will soon be able to return to full use of our lovely church. In the meantime, please do join us for our daily Mass ‘online’. After Mass has been celebrated our Church is open for private prayer each day until 5.30pm.

Wishing you every blessing. Keep well.

Fr. Peter Briscoe, Adm.