1881 – St. Brigid’s Church, Ardagh, Longford

Construction started in 1881 and was not completed until 1903 by Hague’s partner and successor T.F. McNamara. The interior was adorned with richly carved stonework and a fine high altar which commemorates the architects. The exterior has an attractive semi-circular turret containing the stair access to the organ loft. Probably one the finest churches of its date in Leinster. Perspective View including plan published in The Building News, July 26th 1878.

From The Building News, July 26 1878: “The nave is divided from the aisles by moulded arches of Bath stone, supported on grouped polished red granite pillars, with marble bases and amulets, and carved Portland stone caps. The Lady Chapel will be groined in stone. Polished marble and granite pillars will be freely used in the interior to corbel shafts and arcadings. The roofs will be covered with slates laid in bands of colours, and the ceilings finished with pitch-pine diagonal boarding, divided into panels, with elaborate cornices and mouldings, and curved and moulded principals, dividing the church into bays corresponding with the arcading, the whole sized and varnished. The windows, glazed in lead quarries, having rolled cathedral glass in various tints, with coloured margins. The traceried windows are to be filled with painted and stained glass; the floors of encaustic tiles ; the sittings, altars, and other interior finishings will be all carried out in keeping with the style of architecture adopted. The works are being satisfactorily carried out by Mr. Patrick Callam, builder, under the supervision of the architect, Mr. William Hague, 44, Westland-row, Dublin.”