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ST. MARY’S PARISH CHURCH
Catholic Emancipation was gained in 1829. Two years later the foundation was laid of the parish church
of BUTTEVANT. It is not easy in 2010 to look back and understand the joy and rejoicing of
all Irish Catholics at the re-established of
their equal status with all other members of the country. Rev. Cornelius Canon Buckley had been
Parish Priest since 1824, he organised the founding of the Church and its dedication
to St. Mary on Rosary Sunday, 9th. October, 1836. Lord Doneraile gave the site; he with the Earl of
Egmont, Lord Bandon, and many other non-Catholics, gave generous donations to the
cost of building. The Church was designed by architect Charles Cotterel of Cork. in the Gothic
Perpendicular style, the very same had been used for the Church of St. John the Divine, built in 1826. The
building of St. Mary took five years to complete in fine local limestone. Its Interior dimensions
are 112' long, 90' wide through the trancepts, and some 35' high. The walls are mainly 2 feet thick,
and there are numerous buttresses. The pinacles. with their Maltese crosses are very distinctive. The
Church incorporates the old "Cushlane Cullin" tower, used as a stairway to the East Gallery. The
North window Is a most striking feature. It is 24' high by 14' wide, in Munich glass designed and supplied
by Mr. Meyer of London. There are five main figures. In the centre, Christ Jesus, on His Right, the
Blessed Virgin and on His Left, St. Joseph. On the outside are St. Coleman of Cloyne and St. Francis
of Assissi. There are some 15 angels, all playing musical instruments, in the upper tracery. The
dedication, now covered by the marble reredos, is as follows: ‘For the glory of God and beauty of His
temple, this window was erected by Mrs. Margared Tracey, of Rathclare in memory of her parents - John and
Mary Walsh, and her brothers and sisters, - John Joseph, Robert Francis, Patrick and Mary  Walsh. St. Mary's Church
and Convent, Buttevant, are deeply in indebted to the generosity of this worthly family. May their souls
rest in peace. July, 1886....Timothy, Canon Buckley, P.P. On the main gable, to the east of the North
window, there is a painting of St. Brygid of Cloyne. under it, a statue of the Holy Family. To the west of
the North window, there is the painting of St. Patrick, under it, a statue of the Sacred Heart. The
large windows in the East and West Transcepts are in harmony with the North Window, but their full history
is not known. The West window's Assumption is signed by Watson, Yougal. 1906' and the East window
'Ascension' is by the same artist; they would have been inserted around 1906, when David, Canon Burdon was
P.P. Under the Ascension is inscribed 'Whilst He blessed them. He departed from them and was carried up
into Heaven.' The lower portion of this East Window, has six panels, two of the Sacred Heart and St. Mary
Alacoque, two of Jesus in agony comforted by an angel bearing a chalice, while the two central panels have
passion flower plants. For the West window, under the Assumption is inscribed 'After her death. Heaven had
taken all and glorified all.' The lower portion of this West window has also six panels, four of Mary Immaculate, St. Joseph, St. Anne and Saint
Jaochim and the two are not by Watson of Yougal; both may not even be by the same (at present unknown)
artist.
 The four windows in the nave of the Church were insetted when Rev. Timothy,
Canon Murphy was P.P., 1951-1974. On the east side, there are Blessed Oliver Plunkett and St. Columba,
donated by J.M. in memory of Monsignour Mullins; and Blessed Thaddeus and St. Brigid. On the West side,
there are St. John the Baptist and Christ the King, donated by Kate O'Donnell in memory of Thomas and
Ellen O'Donnell; and St. Colman of Cloyne and St. Ita, with 'pray for the doners' Inscribed below. The
large rose window on the south is filled with stained glass, but no  figures.
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