One of Cork city's best known Catholic churches is to close later this year.
Parishioners at St Augustine's Church on the corner of Washington Street and Grand Parade are to be briefed at the vigil mass this afternoon by the Vicar Provincial Fr Paddy O'Reilly OSA.
Designed by Cork architect Dominic O'Connor, St Augustine's Church was built in 1942 and is embedded into the streetscape on the site of a former chapel dated back to 1872.
It was extended 30 years later to cope with the demands of a growing city.
The adjoining priory was build in 1982.
The church is owned and run by Augustinian friars, with the consent of the Diocese of Cork and Ross.
Currently there are four friars attached to the church. In recent years it was also home to the city's Polish community with a dedicated priest.
The friars have had a presence in Cork as far back as the 13th century when they founded Red Abbey in the South Parish.
Pope Leo XIV visited the city centre church twenty years ago when he was Bishop Robert Prevost, prior general of the Order of St Augustine, the global head of the Order.
Guitarist Rory Gallagher reportedly performed in the hall attached to the church as a child.
His brother Donal said they would regularly play at socials billed as The Gallagher Brothers playing songs such as the Everly Brothers' Wake Up Little Susie when he was nine and Rory was 11 years old.
It is understood declining vocations and a shrinking city centre parish are contributing to the decision to close the church.
