Fundraising drive launched for renovations of 200-year-old Waterford church

An online fundraising drive has been launched to help finance major renovation works at a 200-year-old church in west Waterford.

A committee has been formed to oversee the project at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Tallow, which could last a  number of years.

Some monies have been already been raised for phase one of the works, which will cost in the region of €110,000.

However, the total cost of the project could be as high as €1m - hence the launch of an online appeal at idonate.ie.

"This is a massive undertaking on behalf of the Tallow Parish, the biggest project ever undertaken in the town or parish. If this project is not carried out, the church will be a health and safety risk to the public and could end up being closed in a few years like many other churches in Ireland in recent times," stated the organisers in a post on the idonate page.

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"Our Church is two hundred years old and is a one-off church that other parishes would love to call their own. It has several stained-glass windows and the beautiful wall mosaics painted by Italian artists sent to Ireland by the Vatican two centuries ago. It is the most important building in our town and parish and its importance cannot be underestimated," they added.