Saviour of Laois convent cross to be honoured this weekend

A BRAVE workman who risked his life to save a Laois convent cross from destruction will be honoured this weekend, when the restored cross will be unveiled at its original site.

A prayer service in Abbeyleix on Saturday afternoon will pay tribute to the late Paddy Langton, who rescued the town’s Brigidine Cross in 1992 and safeguarded it for more than three decades.

Fr Paddy Byrne PP will lead the prayer service at 4.30pm outside the Church of the Most Holy Rosary, Abbeyleix, to acknowledge and honour Paddy and his family from Rathnamanagh, Portlaoise.

Thanks to five generous local professionals, the ornate four-foot cross has been restored and erected in the original convent grounds, in time for the service on Saturday 31 January.

The community will gather to see the cross standing once again in its rightful home, on a new limestone base, after an absence of more than 33 years. A special Mass at 5pm will follow the unveiling, to celebrate St Brigid and the Brigidine tradition on the eve of her feast day.

Local historian Noel Burke said: ‘The significance of returning this 184 year old Brigidine Cross to its original site cannot be overstated. For the people of Abbeyleix, a proud heritage town, and for the Sisters of the Brigidine Order who will join us on the day, this is a homecoming of deep emotional and historical meaning.’ 

He added: ‘We owe sincere gratitude to the Langton family for ensuring the cross was preserved and ultimately returned to the community it belongs to.’ 

In an extraordinary act of courage, Paddy climbed onto the roof of the Brigidine Convent in Abbeyleix, moments before the building was demolished in 1992.

Determined to save the historic rooftop monument, he tied a rope around both his waist and the base of the cross while heavy machinery ripped through the building.

Despite falling through collapsing timbers while still tied to the cross, he somehow escaped without serious injury. Then he and colleagues lifted the heavy cross into his van and he brought it home, where it lay undisturbed in a turf shed ever since.

Paddy passed away last November, at the age of 91. On 16 January, it was a poignant but proud moment when Paddy’s son, Patrick, invited Noel into his home to collect the cross, ensuring that a unique piece of local heritage would be preserved for future generations.

The five generous experts who gave their time to restore the cross are Bosco Whelan of Jet Stone Ltd in Ballyroan, builder P. Kirk from Shanahoe, Tom Delahunty of Del Engineering in Cullohill, Michael Kerry of Portlaoise M&M Sandblasting and auto paint technician Ben Campion from Ballinakill.

The group is also deeply grateful to Fr Byrne, who offered the newly formed Abbeyleix & District Historical Society a site on the original Brigidine Convent grounds, for the permanent return of the restored cross.

An online crowdfunding campaign, with a target of €1,000, was set up on idonate.ie to cover the cost of restoring the cross and constructing the limestone base.

Noel said on the fundraising page: ‘This restoration is not just about a cast iron cross - it’s about people. Together, we can safeguard a piece of Abbeyleix’s soul. When the convent faced demolition in 1992, the Brigidine Cross was nearly lost forever. It survived because one man stepped forward.’

The online fundraiser (live link at the top of our Facebook post) is at: 

https://www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/lorrainekirk