The project at the 110-year-old listed Holy Cross Church building in Lisnaskea will cost in the region of £400,000 and is expected to be completed in the summer. Naturally the passage of time and various weather elements have taken their toll so the parish felt that it was time to take action. 

The parish priest of Holy Cross, Canon Joseph Mullin, says the aim is to future-proof the historic building for generations to come: “The building was a very ambitious project for the people to take on at the time of its contruction and that’s reflected in its beauty both internally and externally. They clearly had a dream which they made a magnificent reality and the building has stood proudly on the hill overlooking the town for many years. They would have undertaken this task at great cost to themselves and they were justly proud of their achievement. 

“To carry on this tradition and their good work, we need to conserve, protect and maintain Holy Cross so that we can hand it on to future generations all in good order. The people of Lisnaskea are very proud of their church and for them it is more than just a building. It is a spiritual space in their lives and somewhere that they associate with the key moments in their lives, particularly the baptisms and marriages that have taken place there,” Canon Mullin added.  
    

Holy Cross was dedicated on Sunday, August 18 1907, although it had already been in use for regular services before this. The church was renovated in recent years to coincide with the centenary celebrations. The focus of this latest project will be on the exterior of the builiding particularly the stonework, lime mortar repointing, roofing, leadwork and guttering. 

The work is being overseen by Belfast based Gregory Architects, who have worked on a wide range of building projects. Their ecclesiastical portfolio of work includes the restorations of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh. The contract for the work was awarded to Enniskillen’s PJ Treacy & Sons. The seven month long project began earlier this month and is expected to be completed in late July. 

“We have been planning this work over the last few years and saving money to meet the cost. We hope that the work being carried out won’t inconvenience people too much as the end result will certainly justify it. We will be continuing to use the church as normal for worship throughout this period,” Canon Mullin added. 

Parishoners have been advised that parking will be limited during this time while the main door of the building will need to be closed during the early stages of the work with access via the two side doors.