Cross from demolished Laois convent is coming home

A HISTORIC cross that was saved by chance when a Laois convent was demolished is coming home, after lying in a shed for over 30 years.

The four-foot ornate cross was secretly rescued by a workman in 1992, moments before machinery moved into the Brigidine Convent, Abbeyleix.

Although the worker was instructed to scrap and dispose of the cross, he instead recognised its significance and quietly brought it home for safekeeping.

The 150-year-old cross remained untouched in a shed ever since. But after a surprise phone call this week, it will finally return to its hometown.

Well-known local historian Noel Burke received a call on 12 January from an acquaintance of the workman, who lives in Portlaoise but wishes to remain anonymous.

Noel said: “He knew of my interest in local history and felt the time had come for the cross to return to the Abbeyleix community it once watched over. He invited me to take charge of it.

“I assured him that this extraordinary piece of our heritage will be preserved and get the respect it deserves and, in time, will take its rightful place in Heritage House, where it can continue to tell its story for many generations to come.” 

The intricately carved stone cross once stood proudly above the clock on the roof of the landmark convent, which was erected in 1842. For almost 150 years, generations of students were educated at primary and secondary schools in the convent complex.

There was immense shock and sadness in Abbeyleix when the convent building was demolished in 1992, a few years after the primary school was closed and knocked in the late 1980s. The secondary school closed in 1990, when Heywood Community School was formed. The only part of the original convent complex that still stands is the nuns' chapel.

Noel said that people today are still shocked when they hear that the convent secondary school’s contents were sold at auction in 1992. Then came the unthinkable: the demolition of one of Abbeyleix’s finest educational institutions, leaving no trace that the Brigidine Convent had ever existed.

In a fascinating account on his social media page, Noel summed up: ‘A cross that survived demolition. A cross carried away in secret to save it. A cross now coming home. A sad chapter … with a beautiful ending.’ 

The unexpected phone call to Noel came at a perfect time, just days before the first meeting of the newly formed St Columbanus Historical Society, which will focus on the history and heritage of Abbeyleix, Ballinakill and Ballyroan.

The group’s first meeting will be held at 7pm this Thursday 15 January in St Columbanus Hall, Abbeyleix, with parking available in the church car park.

The new society welcomes anyone interested in the three communities’ shared heritage, from local stories and old photographs to family histories, archaeology, buildings and more. The aim is to research, explore, preserve and celebrate the area’s rich history.

Noel said: ‘If the return of the ornate Brigidine Convent Cross tells us anything, it’s this: Our history is still out there, waiting to be found and it belongs to all of us. We’re building something that will last. A place where stories are preserved, artefacts are protected and our heritage is celebrated for generations to come.’