Churches in the Locality in 1835
The Protestant Church in Sixmilebridge had an average of 50 people in attendance each Sunday and holiday.
The Catholic Church in Kilmurry had an average attendance of 200 and it was
increasing.
The average attendance in Sixmilebridge Catholic Church was 800 and it was also
increasing.
As is presently the case, there were two priests in KilmurrySixmilebridge.
Present Day: Mass attendance in Sixmilebridge parish on March 24th, 1991
was as follows:
Kilmurry: 181.
Sixmilebridge (Sat. 7.30 p.m.): 451. Sun. 8.30 a.m.: 173. Sun. 11.00 a.m.: 605.
Church of St. Mary’s — Kilmurry
The site for Kilmurry Church donated by Stackpooles of Mountcashel was originally intended for a school but during a severe frost said to last for 14 weeks, the lake was frozen over and a pleasure skating accident occurred it was considered too dangerous for children.
The Church was built in 1833 by Rev. Conor Clune P.P., who had already built
Sixmilebridge Church in 1812. Like Sixmilebridge it was a thatched building
with mud floor and no seating.
The Porch section which is now the Sacristy area was used as a temporary
schoolroom with a window where the present door is and an entrance door on the
opposite north west side. The entrance door to the church was on the nave near
the trancept beside the external holy water font. Later when the school was
built the room was used as a meeting place and later on as a band room. There is no record of any improvements except some seating installed by Rev. James Daly
P.P., until Rev. Michael Hayes undertook extensive repairs in 1924.
A new floor with central tiled passages was laid by Hearn & Co. of Waterford. A new altar of Cam stone and Carara marble donated by the Walton family of Ballysheen was erected by Early and Co. Dublin. Ceiling and wainscotting of pitch pine and new window and entrance door at present siting. New seating also supplied by Heames is retained in the present reconstruction.
Repairs were carried out in 1980 which involved reslating the building, roof
insulation, battening and plastering of the internal walls, complete rewiring
and the installation of an off-peak electrical heating system.
