The Craftsman's Honoured Hand

The Honan Chapel, University College Cork, was consecrated in November 1916. It was founded in the belief that it is essential for a University College to meet both the spiritual and academic needs of students. Associated with this was the belief that the Chapel's design must be truly Irish in inspiration and representative of early Irish ecclesiastical art. Similarly, the internal decoration of the Chapel is based on the same principles. The extraordinary accord of the Honan Collection, ie, the Chapel furnishings, fittings, manuscripts and vestments are particularly striking when seen together. Conceived and executed at the height of the early twentieth century Celtic art revival, the Honan Collection is an unique expression of this renaissance. It contains items in silver, wood, cloth, paper and stone, each contributing to the very particular concept of the union of function and design. Although the Honan Collection is composed of work by various artists, working in a wide range of differing designs and techniques all are, nonetheless, in sympathy. It provides a valuable and unique record of the best of Irish ecclesiastical art at the time and is a remarkable expression of the Irish Arts and Crafts movement.

On January 29^th next a Study Day will be held to develop greater awareness of the Honan Chapel and Collection as unique national cultural resource. The aim of the Study Day is to introduce participants to the richness and variety of this extraordinary Collection. Art historians, archaeologists and clerics will present papers on their own specialist topics. The morning of lectures will be followed in the afternoon by a session in the Chapel where a selection of rarely seen items, from the Collection will be displayed and discussed.

‘Long ago, long ago,
Through a mist of blood and tears
Through a thousand hapless years,
See the golden vision glow!
See the craftsman's honoured hand,
Framed and loved in every land!
Keen the eye and pure the thought,
Holy was the hand that wrought,
Long ago, long ago -
Ancient Inisfail!’