Open Air Service Many churches were keen to preach the gospel to those people who did not attend church on a regular basis. The photograph shows an open ...
Open Air Mass Holding mass in the open air had been widely practised by Catholics during the penal restrictions of the 18th century and this tradition ...
Choir Outing The Church was the main organiser of social events during this period. This photograph taken around 1900 shows the choir of a Portadown ...
The Sabbath Day This was a popular rhyme from the late 19th century which gives some indication of just how strictly Sundays were observed. Children ...
Sunday School Outing For some children the only outing of the year was the Sunday School excursion. Sometimes they went to seaside resorts like Portrush or ...
Rosary Beads Rosary beads were sometimes hung around a bed post by practising Catholics. They were used when praying as believers held the beads to ...
Farmhouse Shrine This simple home-made shrine was typical of the shrines found in many small farmhouses. Photographed in Co. Wicklow, the shrine was ...
Holy Shelf This type of simple holy shelf was a common sight in many Catholic farmhouses. The photograph was taken in Co. Cork at the beginning of ...
Friday Fish Many Catholics in Ireland observed the tradition of not eating meat on Fridays. Fish were commonly eaten on Fridays and even poorer ...
Horse Racing This poster advertised a race meeting at Down Royal in 1846. Horse racing was very popular with the landed gentry who owned most of the ...
