CORK:IT'S A toss up between an origami workshop in the Triskel Arts Centre and a choral recital at the architecturally magnificent St Peter and Paul's Church.
The latter wins out and we dash down a little side street off Patrick Street to where the church is nestled.You could easily walk past this building without ever knowing the delights that lie within; last night it was Acabella Bella, a nine-member choir from west Cork. They sent beautiful harmonies skyward, the voice of their sole male member amplified by the intricate marbles workings of the altar behind.
Sacristan Christy McCarthy enlightens us as to why this church is tucked away off the beaten track, pointing out that no Catholic churches are built on any main street in Ireland – as the British would not allow it.
The foundations were laid, thanks to a collection donated by the people of Cork, in 1859. The build, which took 10 years and cost £30,000, was entirely funded by the people of Cork, under the direction of Msgr Murphy – a colourful character and member of the famous Cork brewing family of the same name.
He decided Carey’s Lane Chapel, a modest church, the site of which now houses Veritas bookshop, should be replaced by something altogether more spectacular.
We could stay all evening and listen to the stories that abound from these walls, but it’s time to head to the Masonry Hall on Tuckey Street, home to the Munster headquarters of Freemasonry since 1844, to see what secrets can be extracted from within.