Sallins "Tin-And-Timber" Church Celebrates 100 Years

A special centenary Holy Mass will be held at Our Lady and Guardian Angels church in Sallins at 11.30am on Sunday by Bishop Denis Nulty

Speaking on this morning's Kildare Today, local historian Liam Kenny retold the unusual history of the Sallins "tin-and-timber" as it celebrates 100 years.

A special Centenary Holy Mass will be held at Our Lady and Guardian Angels church in Sallins at 11.30am on Sunday by Bishop Denis Nulty.

On the first Saturday of October in 1924, the Leinster Leader ran the headline "A long-felt want supplied", as it previewed the ceremonial opening of the new church in Sallins the following day.

Unlike other churches built from brick and stone, this church arrived months prior in what we would consider a flat-pack.

Carefully dimensioned metal and wood planks was manufactured by the firm of Harrison and Company in south London, and arrived to Sallins for it to be assembled.

Tradesmen from London also arrived with the flat-pack soon-to-be church, with one of them being Edward Laxton, who settled in the area.

Mr Kenny noted the surname Laxton continues in the locality.

Only one other Catholic church in Tipperary is made entirely of tin and is still open for daily prayers, more than a hundred years on.

The assembly of the Sallins church was completed in the spring of 1924, and in the following months was filled with internal furnishing.

The altar was made of pitch pine, which was the gift of a Miss Condron of Eadestown.

The external bell which predates the church by 60 years also came from Eadestown direction, being gifted by its parish priest V Rev Fr Lockhart, PP.

Mrs B. Hourihane of Sallins National School donated paintings of St Patrick and St Brigid.

The churches only glass-stained window, which forms a backdrop to the altar, was gifted by the Boushell family.

Additional carpentry was done by Mr D.Smyth, and renowned Naas Builders' Denis Corcoran erected the bell on its external gantry.

On October 5th 1924, Fr Norris, PP, blessed the new chapel having received authorisation from Bishop Foley of Kildare and Leighlin.

Other tin churches later appeared in the suburbs of Dublin city, but all were short-lived and have since been replaced by block-built tructures.

The full article on the history of Sallins "tin-and-timber" church, written by Liam Kenny, can be read here.

The full interview with Liam on this morning's Kildare Today show can be listened to here: