The Honan Chapel - Gallery Collection


Image TitleHonan Collection: the Cloth of Gold
DescriptionThe cloth of gold, in the Honan Chapel Collection, was worn instead of green, white and red. It was worn only on great solemnities. It was decorated with symbols of the four Evangelists taken from the Book of Kells (Trinity College, Dublin) folio 27 verso. This four symbols page introduces the Chi-Rho page illustrating the text of St. Matthew´s Gospel 1:18 which tells the story of the Birth of Christ. Sir John Robert O’Connell was determined to foster local Cork craftsmanship in building and furnishing the chapel. He included the Cork firm of Egan & Sons in the commission for altar plate and vestiments. The names of Cork seamstresses from the Egan workshop in no.32 Patrick St, are inscribed in the lining of the Cloth of Gold. They are M. Barrett; N. Harte; A. Calnan; K. Allman; M. Twomey; N. Ahearne; M. Countie; K. Cramer; T. Good; M. E. Jenkins; N. Barry and the designer Ethel Josephine Scally. This item has been catalogued by Virginia Teehan & Elizabeth Wincott Heckett in The Honan Chapel: A Golden Vision published by Cork University Press in 2004. The vestments are in storage and are in need of conservation.
ContributorEthel Josephine Scally and William Egan & Sons, Cork
Contribution Year1916
  
PhotographerAndrew Bradley
CopyrightHonan Trust
Date of Photograph2004
CollectionChapel Collection