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The Twin Churches
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When the twin churches of Wexford were built in the middle of the 19th century, Fr. James Roche did Trojan work in collecting money to pay for them. In an account published in 1859 we find some real nuggets of information on the times and the people.
He recounts receipt of money in the previous two months from 14 counties in Ireland, Wiltshire, Liverpool and London, Constantinople, the banks of the Danube, Turkey, Russia, Savannah, New Orleans, Maryland USA and Pleasant Creek in Australia.
He notes that "as it is my duty to give good example to my flock as well as to preach, I propose to hand in at the tower door on November 13 th my usual annual donation of £ 20."
The subscriptions mentioned above were then listed with notations like: -
"Captain Ryan of ship 'Despatch' collected in Constantinople… £ 1-2-6"
"Reverend James Keating P.P. Annalong, Co. Down the offerings of 220 of his parishioners - £5-10-0"
"Mr. Thomas Craigue, a liberal Protestant – 12-6"
"Mr. Mathew Cleary, Liverpool, an alms offering for the souls of his deceased friends – 10-0"
"A poor widow in The Faythe – 10-0"
"Pence found in the parochial boxes - £5-3-4"
"Miss Sweetman, the West-Gate – an infant only eight days old – her first offering to the House of God - £1-0-0"
"Mr. Wm. Scallan, Ballyvloo, a nuptial offering - £ 1-0-0"