1870s – Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, Ballymore, Co. Westmeath

Quirky-looking church, originally constructed around 1845, with later additions from the 1870s. The tower was eventually completed in 1948 by Simon Aloysius Leonard. Known locally as the “Famine Church” as construction started at that time, it wasn’t completed until the 1880s, when an enterprising local priest returned from the United States with funds. It is perhaps this long gestation period, and the lack of an overall guiding hand from an architect, that has led to the hybrid collection of windows, doorways and details. The main body of the church is a simple rectangular form, with stonework, windows and doorways arranged on the main front to give the suggestion of aisles.