A baptismal font believed to be more than 200 years old has been unveiled in St Peter’s Dungloe after a remarkable community restoration project.
The original baptismal font was used in the old St. Peter’s Church, and would have seen thousands of young baptised into Catholicism.
The old church was decommissioned and is now used as Ionad Teampall Chróine.
The font was kept safe by Carmel Bonner who recently, and kindly, donated it for Redmond Herrity, the talented sculptor, to undertake a careful restoration.
Redmond’s mindful craftsmanship brought the font back together with some new additions reflecting its historic past.
The original wooden lid, long decayed, has been replaced with a new glass one and a new plinth has been added to the original base.
The plinth has been beautifully framed by an inscription, adorned with red crucifixes, in English, Latin, and Gaelic, reading “New and Old” 1856.
Photos: Raphoe Diocese
Now, in 2024, the font is available to admire again in the entrance porch of St Crona’s Church, Dungloe.
“Although we have written records of St Peter’s Church dating to 1856, the church, and therefore the font are considerably older than that,” said a spokesperson for the Raphoe Diocese.
“Installing the font in the entrance porch of St Crona’s is a poignant way of tying this new building with its predecessor. It’s a lovely way to link the faithful of Dongloe with their ancestors. When entering St Crona’s church building we are reminded of all those previous generations who sacramentally entered into the church at this font.
“Fr Johnny Moore will be having a small liturgical ceremony to mark its restoration and recommission. This might be a nice opportunity to say a prayer for those who were baptised in this lovely old font, as indeed Fr Johnny Moore was himself.”