A priceless organ in Carlow Cathedral will shortly return to everyday use after spending a year and a half under repair.
The newly-restored 19th century pipe organ, which weighs ten tonnes
and cost almost €700,000 to restore, was returned to the cathedral's
historic organ loft some months ago and has now been re-tuned.
The organ, encased in handcrafted European oak, is a mixture of
instruments created by two great English organ-builders of the
nineteenth century, viz. Bevington and William Hill.
A survey carried
out on it two years ago showed it needed radical restoration as it was
in terminal decline and would need to be either replaced or restored.
It was taken away to be worked on by restorers, Kenneth Jones and
Associates in Bray and returned some months ago but then had to be
re-tuned and bedded in.
The manager of the Carlow Parish Centre Bernard Geraghty said the
parish was "extremely lucky to have an organ of this calibre in Carlow"
and decided it should be restored.
90% of the instrument's original
2,300 pipes had been saved, he added, but the frame was reconstructed
and two new consoles were installed.
The work involved restoring all of the organ’s 2,300 pipes and
re-gilding them in gold leaf and replacing the leather on the bellows.
Ten people worked full-time on the task for over a year and only the
type of glue and other materials that were used in 1850 have been used
for the restoration.
“This restoration is absolutely faithful to the original
craftsmanship and proper joinery, and the organ has now been totally
restored.”
Last weekend, the newly operational organ was unveiled at a concert
by Carlow Choral Society and Kilkenny Choral Society but its official
blessing takes place in the New Year.
William Hill & Son was set up in 1755 and held a Royal Warrant for its high-class organ design.
SIC: CIN/IE
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