Askea Holy Family Parish Church is a Roman Catholic church from 1976. And it is located at Browneshill road in Carlow town.
The church it’s called locally as the upside-down boat. Because it has an interesting and unique architectural style. It is oval in shape. What’s more the image, which inspired its design, is the Old Testament moving Tent. Which contained the Ark of the Covenant during the period after the Exodus. When the people of Israel wandered through the desert toward the Promised Land. Thus the roof is of a particularly unusual design.
It was designed by architect Mr. E. Quinn and the cost of the building was £185,000.
Exceptionally designed, and modern. If you won’t know it’s a church you would never think that it’s a church.
The seating arrangement accords with the curvature of the outside walls and slopes towards the sanctuary. So the resulting effect is one of greater participation in the liturgy. Also, the baptistery and the tabernacle areas balance each other on either side of the altar area. Thus great prominence is visually given to the two Sacraments (Baptism and Eucharist), through which members are initiated into the family of the Church.
The site acquired for the Church was part of the farm of St Dympna’s Hospital, Carlow. Askea Church was opened in a ceremony performed by Bishop Patrick Lennon. The first resident priest in Askea from 1976 was Fr Francis MacNamara C.C. Holy Family Church served as a relief church for the Cathedral parish, which in the previous twenty years had experienced considerable population growth. Bishop Larry Ryan constituted Askea as a new parish in 1990.
Source: askeaparis.ie
Location of Holy Family Church Askea:
