A Window in The Church - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.
More information has come to light regarding the article in The Bugle last October. The stained glass window (1872) on the left hand side over the vacated side altar is dedicated to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.
She was born in 1647 at Verosvres, Autun, in France and entered the convent of the Visitation Order at Paray-le-Monial aged 23, having been cured of paralysis by, she believed, the Blessed Virgin. During here life there and amid severe austerities, she witnessed the apparition of Our Lord to her on three occasions, ‘revealing His heart burning with love for mankind’, bidding her to establish a Holy Hour in churches universally, Communion on the First Friday of every month, and to observe the feast of the Sacred Heart. Spreading this devotion, it was quickly accepted throughout Christendom. She died on October 17th 1690 and was beatified in 1864. She was canonised by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. Pius X1 extended her feast on June 28th 1929. For many years, a perpetual lamp, donated by Betty Silke, Chapel St., shone in front of it, in honour of the Sacred Heart.
The altar on the right hand side (since removed) was donated by Dr. Dunne of Broadleas, and was dedicated to the memory of his son John, a medical student.
During 1918-19, the deadly ‘Spanish Flu’ spread throughout Ireland, decimating the population, and in Ballymore many died from the resulting pneumonia. Dr. Dunne was vanguard in the battle to save his patients here, assisted by his son, but eventually young John also became a victim of the terrible epidemic. More people in Europe died from that disease than were killed fighting during the entire period of World War 1. The Dunnes were relations by marriage of Mrs. Barbara O’Neill, Pipers Stones.
The high (main) altar, was a magnificently designed marble structure, and was built and erected by the Pearse Brothers, of Pearse St. Dublin, brothers of Padraigh Pearse.
Thanks to John Headon, Claire Doyle and Cathleen Lawlor for the enlightenment. Michael Ward.