PHOTOS: Special occasion at 'historic gem' in Waterford city
St Patrick’s Church on Jenkin’s Lane, Waterford, officially unveiled its refurbished laneway last Friday.
Bishop of Waterford and Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan blessed the new footpath and the gathering that turned out for the celebratory occasion.
Holy Mass was celebrated in St Patrick’s right throughout the 18th century when Irish Catholics suffered terrible persecution under the penal laws, with the earliest Mass being recorded there in 1704.
Works had been ongoing for over two and half years, with Bishop Cullinan describing the unveiling as a "great day" for the city.
Cllr Pat Fitzgerald shared his delight at the reopening. "My mother brought me here as a child and I always felt that there was something missing from the city when I passed by and these gates were closed. It is a historic gem in the middle of the city that reminds us all where we came from,'' he said.