Eilish Tierney and Father Micahel Kenny, also pictured are Ruby Lynch (5) and Pauline, Joanne, Lorraine, Amanda, Ivan Lynch and Ethan Lynch (2), Adrienne Lynch, Ailish Cunningham, Kenneth Wooley, Joe Sice, Norrie Hennelly, Brendan Tierney, Martin Donnellan and Sean Broderick of Galway Rural Develope

Religions unite to help restore old church

Published: Wed 20 Aug 2014, 7:20 AM

Last updated: Wed 20 Aug 2014, 11:15 AM

PEOPLE from the Protestant and Catholic communities are getting together in Kilconly to try and restore the long disused St Andrew’s Church of Ireland, possibly as an interpretive centre, small business centre or library.
Local woman Eilish Tierney is one of those spearheading the campaign and she says their project could be symbolic for greater cross-religion co-operation elsewhere.
“Maybe what we are doing in our own little village will stand as a symbol of reconciliation, especially in these turbulent times in the world,” says Eilish.
The building dates from 1835 and is owned by the County Council. The last service was about 50 years ago, according to Adrienne Lynch whose grandparents and many ancestors are buried in the Church grounds.
She has a BA in Business Enterprise and Community Enterprise and feels that if the old Church was refurbished it could house a small enterprise.