Ireland: young writers support restoration of St Mel's Cathedral

Pupils with Bishop Colm O'Reilly

Poetry and letters written by local school students, were read at a special event yesterday to mark the contract signing of the restoration of St Mel's Cathedral which was badly damaged by a fire on Christmas Day 2009. The only statues which survived were of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Saint Mel, patron saint of the diocese; and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.

Bishop Colm O’Reilly, Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnois, hosted the event at Saint Mel’s College. Students from St Joseph's national school, accompanied by their Sixth class teacher Ms Marie Dolan read their own work by them and writing by pupils from Melview national school.

Two of the poems follow below:

Emma Simoes of Saint Joseph's National School read a poem Saint Mel's Stained Glass Windows which was written by Mary Sloane of fifth class Melview National School

Saint Mel’s stained glass windows

A stained glass window
Fell to the floor
It’s beauty was shattered,
It breathed no more.

Coloured fragments
Of one brilliant design
Scattered and broken,
Shattered by time.
They lay there helpless,
Scarred and alone
The sharing has ended,
It broke with stone.
How can its beauty be Forgotten

The light and wonder
It cast and caught
Only God will ever know.

Clodagh Kiely of Saint Joseph's National School read a poem The Cathedral written by Ben Ryan when he was in fifth class in Melview National School

The Cathedral

Ashes and ashes,
People say "oh what a shame oh
what about that christening in May"
Although it is gone the walls stand strong,
Intense work they will start,
a once great building torn apart,

But the tower stands and the pillars remain,
People will stand and watch the work
the carpenters the builders and many alike,
We are unable to know how much damage is done,
That great Cathedral that was open to everyone.

Source: Irish Catholic Media Office, Maynooth