Diocesan News24 Nov 10

"Currin 200" - St Andrew's Church, Scotshouse (Clogher)

"Currin 200"

St Andrew's Church, Scotshouse

In Currin Church of Ireland Parish, Scotshouse, County Monaghan, the Church of St Andrew is celebrating 200 years since the Church’s foundation with a service of thanksgiving and praise. This happy occasion will take place on Sunday 28th November at 3.30pm. The Revd Paul Hoey will preach, Lisnaskea Church Choir and Mr Ian Hall will sing, and the Revd Helene T. Steed will lead the service. Afterwards everyone is welcome to the Killyfargue Hall, Scotshouse for refreshments and a small exhibition about the Church. With this service, the Church will launch the Currin 200 project. This is a celebration stretching over the next few years, with the aim of commemorating the Church’s history in Scotshouse, honouring its work and mission over two centuries, as well as doing our best to restore the Church building for coming generations.

As part of Currin 200 we have begun some restoration work. In 2009, the plaster on the tower was taken down, as it had become loose and hence unsafe. It is our hope to have this re-plastered during Currin 200. This year we have replaced and restored gutters and downpipes as well as starting work inside the Church. Some internal re-plastering has been done on the north wall and in the tower during the month of October and this work is now drying. When dry, it will be painted. The Church’s gates are presently being sand-blasted and repainted.

The first thing that is seen when entering St Andrew’s Church, is the striking and very beautiful stained-glass window in the chancel. It is a memorial window for those who died in the First World War. The window depicts Christ the Consoler in the centre, surrounded by St Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, to the left and St Michael to the right.

One noticeable feature in the Church is the memorial plaque to the late Ernest Waldron King. He was the son of the then rector, the Revd Thomas W. King. Ernest Waldron was assistant purser with the White Star Line. He drowned together with more than 1,400 others when the R. M. S. Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg in 1912, and is buried in Halifax, Nova Scotia