It was during the mid-twentieth century when MS Griffiths began a long trend of revitalising and transforming the look and feel of Ireland’s parish churches. His approach to interior design incorporated an appreciation of the culture, history and language of the people of Ireland and this laid the basis for many of the styles that he would introduce into the Irish church industry. As a result, many parishes in counties such as Mayo and Kerry have retained much of their old charm and character and MS Griffiths recognised this. His influence can be seen in the styles and colours used in many church buildings today which retain many of the same characteristics of the designs which were introduced by him. This article will discuss the styles which were commonly adopted during this time and how these are adapted today.
Styles And Themes Through Revivalism
The first style to be widely adopted during this period of Revivalism was that of the substantial bill board. Unlike the large painted floral portraits which were common place in many churches during this time, the vast majority of these large bill boards were used to display information such as parish news or notices of special occasions. Although these large posters are still used on some occasions, they now predominantly promote the sale of goods or conduct religious services. In fact, a large solid board bearing the name of a church is often seen outside of a building during religious ceremonies.
Another hugely popular interior design style during this period was that of the stained glass window. These large panes of glass were used both to show the congregation something beautiful and to protect them from the elements. Many of the stained glass windows from this era can still be seen at churches around Ireland and even in other countries around the world. MS Griffiths introduced a new concept in the design of the stained glass window and this was the use of colour.
Much of the architecture of the period was built from locally produced materials and was in a unique design. For example, one of the most famous examples of this type of architecture can be found in the church of St Patrick’s in Blenheim. This church is almost seven hundred years old and still in full operation today. The walls and roof are made from clay, the floorboards are timber and the ceiling is covered with large, coloured tiled strips. The fabric that was used is of a type only found in Irish homes and this created a truly unique and fascinating feature of this church.
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Modern Ideas And Changes
One of the first modern ideas to come to the Irish church was the idea of using aluminium as a material for the exterior of buildings. This met with some resistance from the locals who felt that it was not strong enough and in the end only changed to granite and slate as the main materials used by these new churches. Tourism in churches is made up of a mix of the old with the new and the development of churches over the last few centuries has led to an increase in the number of these types of buildings.
A lot of the older buildings have been renovated to cater for a more modern approach to their design and many of the smaller chapels have been designed to look more like chapels than just traditional buildings with one floor and stained glass windows. A very popular tourist attraction within the city centre of Galway is the Crich Trig Building which is a nineteenth century Romanesque building dedicated to the Rev Dr Richard Crich who was the main patron saint of Galway and also a very important religious figure in Ireland. Many of the smaller chapels have kept their old character and design but have added modern features such as double glazed windows and electricity saving glass. Many of the Victorian buildings have been restored using state of the art technology and offer visitors a real insight into the life of the people of Ireland during the Victorian era. Some of the castles in the area were built by the renowned John B Croatley who is regarded as one of the best examples of an English builder during the time. These castles have now been turned into heritage attractions and many tourists visit the area to take in the wonderful architecture.
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