Diocesan News19 Jan 09

Desertserges Tower Re-dedicated (Cork, Cloyne & Ross)

The Revd Judith Hubbard-Jones, until recently Incumbent of Kinneigh Union of Parishes, Cork, Cloyne and Ross, had a busy and rather special send off from her beautiful parish in rural West Cork. A united service was held in St. Mary’s Church, Desertserges, during which The Right Revd Paul Colton re-dedicated the church tower, which has undergone extensive restoration after a long period of decline: A pinnacle was missing, pigeons had made it a breeding loft and ivy was rapidly engulfing the tower. Further, it was discovered that the bell (inscribed T.A.BARNES & Co., CORK 1830) was hanging on by a mere thread from a piece of rusting railway track that once belonged to the long-abandoned Bantry Line, which ran through the parish.

Thanks to extensive fund raising, by both Church of Ireland parishioners and many members of the wider community, the tower has been restored to its former glory and the entire bill for the project has been paid.

During the renovation it became clear that the lower part of the tower was originally part of an earlier building: Signs of an old roof half way up the tower and the places of former windows can be seen in the stonework. The present building, completed in 1803, is widely held to be on the site of a hermitage that possibly dates from c617 (‘Desert’ means hermitage and ‘serges’ or ‘Seargus’ or ‘Fergus’ refers to the name of the hermit). The site is, in any case, very ancient. There is also a famine graveyard at Desertserges.

The tower is now weatherproof and new emergency and safety lighting is in place. A lock-away safety ladder has been installed in the trap-door to the balcony and tarmacadam has been put down on the outside path.

The Revd Judith Hubbard-Jones moves on to Gloucestershire, leaving behind a wonderfully restored tower. She will be missed by the parish and the diocese. The new incumbent of the Kinneigh Union of Parishes will not have to worry about bells that are held up by bits of rotten railway tracks!