| Paintings on both sides of the
centre aisle show various Dominicans saints. They are (from the back left)
St Vincent, St Catherine of Ricci, St Pius V, St Albert the Great and
St Catherine of Siena and (from the back right) St Rose of Lima, St Peter
the Martyr, St Margaret of Hungary, St Thomas Aquinas and St Dominic.
They were all painted by Fr Aengus Buckley, a member of the Dominican
order.
© Stained Glass Window of St Catherine and St Dominic
Fr Buckley's paintings can be seen in the top corners of the photograph.
Fr Buckley also painted the fresco "The Triumph of the Cross"
over the chancel arch in 1951. This fresco shows Heavenly Father receiving
the sacrifice of his Son into the glory of the Trinity. Some members of
the church are looking on in contemplation. A detailed description of
the fresco is given at the main door of the church. The stained glass
window in the apse shows the Transfiguration. Over the marble altar, there
is a life-size statue of St Martin in bronze. There are also statues of
SS. Peter and Paul. There is a stained glass window by Messrs Murphy and
Devitt.
© Stained Glass window of the Transfiguration
To the right of the high altar, there is an altar to Our Lady of Limerick.
The statue of Our Lady is from the 17th century and is called Our Lady
of Limerick. Patrick Sarsfield brought the statue from Flanders in 1640.
(This is not the Patrick Sarsfield who was a general in the Jacobite army
during the Siege of Limerick in 1691.) Sarsfield donated the statue due
to the outrages done by his father to Sir John Bourke. The statue is made
from oak. For a number of years, the statue was buried in a box in the
graveyard in the grounds of St Mary's Cathedral to avoid capture from
the English authorities. The base of the altar shows the Arms of Limerick
are incorporated into the crest of the Dominicans.
The Bishop of Emly, Terence Albert O'Brien, a Dominican, was hanged in
the abbey ruins in 1651 for leading the resistance to General Ireton's
siege. In 1982, an oratory to Bishop O'Brien containing a portrait of
the bishop painted by Thomas Ryan was added to the church. This oratory
is to the far right of the High Altar.
There is also a stained glass window in the oratory that depicts a number
of different scenes. These scenes begin with the execution of Bishop O'Brien
and continue to depict a number of the major events that happened in the
Limerick region since O'Brien's execution in 1651. The stained glass window
includes the following images, the coat of arms of Limerick in the Dominicans'
crest, the persecution of Roman Catholics by the ruling English, the boat
of emigration, agriculture, Ardnacrusha power station, Ireland's entry
into the EEC and the Papal Visit of 1979.
© Stained glass window in Oratory
As you enter the oratory, there is a statue on the right
of St John Macias OP, who is the patron saint for exiles. The Baptismal
font is also in the oratory and it is dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary
of Limerick & the Help of Christians.
© Sarsfield chalice and chalices belonging to the Dominicans
The Dominicans own a number of very old and interesting chalices. The
oldest chalice in their possession is the O'Callaghan chalice, which dates
from 1639. It was originally kept in the Dominican priory in Kilmallock,
Co Limerick. The second chalice, the Sarsfield chalice was buried with
the statue of Our Lady of Limerick in the graveyard of St Mary's Cathedral.
It dates from 1640.
The next chalice of historic note is the O'Meara chalice, which dates
from approximately 1744. The final chalice dates from 1810 and is called
the Harrigan chalice. This chalice was donated by Honoria M. Raymond to
James Harrigan for her son John Bernard and her spiritual comfort.
© The two sides of Bishop O'Brien's cross
They are also in possession of a two sided cross known as Bishop O'Brien's
cross.
Buried within the church are:
Fr S. J. Harrigan, Died January 23 1838
Fr V. O'Carroll, Died January 8 1860
There is a burial vault to the right of the church. Buried within the
vault are:
Fr W. McDonnell, Died April 19 1868
Br H. Carroll, Died May 6 1906
Fr J. J. McGovern, Died January 26 1923
Fr L. D. Conway, Died December 28 1878
Fr M. A. Duhig, Died December 24 1920
Fr S. A. O'Kelly, Died August 15 1930
Fr A. O'Coigley, Died September 7 1943
Fr D. D. O'Connell, Died March 6 1947
Fr B. W. Costello, Died June 2 1949
Fr J. M. Noonan, Died September 13 1949
Bishop J. J. Carbery, Bishop of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Died Dec. 19
1887
  
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