Saint Barrahane's Church

The dedication of the church may be related to the saint Barahan or to the original name of its parish whose name was initially documented as Glenberchin as early as the 12th century, and then as Glenbarahan (or Glen Barrahane[2]) in the 17th century.[3]

The church was built on the site of an older church of 1761[4] whose eastern gable is still present in the current graveyard, and which in turn was built on the site of another "ancient church".[5] The new church's construction, based on a neo-gothic design by the English architect James Pain, was completed in 1826 at the cost of 1384 pounds.[3] Sandstone quarried on the Horse Island was used in the construction, and the design includes a three-storey tower with corner pinnacles,[6] pointed arch door opening, and an altarpiece whose history reaches mediaeval times.[5] The church organs were gifted in 1828 by Lady Hanrietta Townsend, and underwent restoration in 1957.[7] Otherwise the original wooden organs and timber panelling remain intact.[6] Three stained-glass windows were made by Harry Clarke, depicting Nativity, St. Martin of Tours, and St. Luke. Three more were made by Powell of London.[5] Fifty two steps lead to the church to symbolize the fifty two Sundays of a year.[3] The church underwent significant remodelling in 1889, including rebuilding of the roof.[4] The roof was rebuilt again in 2000 at the cost of 43,000 pounds, and dedicated on July 9, 2000, by the bishop of Cork Paul Colton.[7]

In the porch there is an oar from the life boats of the sunken RMS Lusitania. Adjacent to the church, there is a small graveyard where the mass grave of the Lusitania victims is located[1] and where, among others, the novelist Edith Somerville who lived and died in Castletownshend, and who was an organist at the church,[8] is buried. So is her long-term literary partner Violet Florence Martin, with whom she formed the literary duo Somerville and Ross.[9] To fulfil Edith Somerville's wish to be buried next to her partner, rock had to be blown up in the churchyard, which anecdotally was done with the help of IRA's explosives.[10]

The Festival of Classical Music takes place annually in the church, started in 1980 by Michael Sokolov-Grant.[11] The festival takes place in summer, and gathers musicians from around Ireland and large audiences who take avail of the church's exceptional acoustics, and capacity of 200.[12]