Novena to showcase Cathedral’s gems

The thousands who flock to this year’s annual Novena are being urged to take time out to examine some of the Cathedral’s stunning features which are looking in top shape following the first major refurbishment of the building since it was built half a century ago.

The 33rd Novena which opens on Monday marks the first major event on the calendar for the Cathedral’s jubilee year.

The faithful attending services over the nine days will see an exhibition around the Cathedral detailing the history of its creation and the pomp and ceremony of its dedication on August 15, 1965.

Following the Novena, there will be a Mass said on February 22 in memory of Bishop Browne, who supervised the building of what has become known as one of the last great stone cathedrals in Europe.

On March 20, there will be an evening honouring the sculptor Gabriel Hayes Ó Riordáin, who spent 17 years of her life carving the Stations of the Cross, completing the mammoth project just before she died.

These have been given a new lease of life following a polish and improved LED lighting, explained the Diocesan Secretary Fr Martin Whelan.

“She’s not very well known because she spent so much time doing the Stations of the Cross, which is a tragedy,” he said.

“They’re a totally unique work of art in themselves. They really are a real treasure in the city. The detail she went into for each piece is amazing.”

A booklet on the pieces will be produced for the Novena, drawing on letters between the sculptor and Dr Browne and recollections of her daughter, Róisín Fant Ó Riordáin.

Gabriel used neighbours, relatives and friends as models for the figures; for the face of Jesus she used an Italian student studying in Cellbridge.

A full sized casting of each station was made for the Bishop to see and approve and then chiseled from Portland stone. One of the biggest obstacles in the project was transporting the carvings to Galway.

For the third fall, she undertook very detailed research, studying the work done on the Shroud of Turin for details of the Roman method of crucifixion in Palestine at the time.

She wrote to Dr Browne: “I was not happy about the action of the left arm, in fact it had too much action, we not limp and listless enough. So I broke it off and re-carved it – three times before I was content with it. You see the whole figure had to express extreme exhaustion. He had fallen and is in the act of rising to His feet, unaided of course. He sags back on his knees, gasping for breath. I do hope that I have conveyed what was in my mind. It gives some idea of Christ’s exhaustion at that time.”

By the time she was finishing the commission she was aged 67 and her back had given out.

“Later the stone work proved too taxing, even with the help of a local stone-cutter and so the final stations were cast in re-constituted stone from her carved plaster models. One is actually part stone and part casting. Gabriel worked over the statue with her chisel to give it the final finish,” recalled her daughter.

On May 11 and 18, Bishop Martin Drennan, who is an expert on scripture, is giving talks on the art depicted on the stained glass windows adorning the Cathedral.

Musical director Ray O’Donnell is organising a concert featuring the St Nicholas Cantata by Sir Benjamin Britten, in honour of St Nicholas, the patron of the Cathedral.

At its dedication, the guest of honour was Cardinal Richard Cushing of Boston. At the jubilee Mass on August 14, the Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, is travelling over to celebrate Mass.

The Priests – a classical musical trio made up of three priests from Northern Ireland – will perform in a concert to mark the anniversary on August 16.