Singing to save church roof

THEY’RE not singing the roof off at a Limerick church, instead they’re hoping their voices will help repair it.

Grandmother Frances Duggan yesterday launched a CD of hymns to help raise money to repair slates on the Redemptorist church at Mount St Alphonsus.

Mrs Duggan, who lives in nearby O’Curry Street, has been leading the congregation in song at Mount St Alphonsus for the past 20 years.

“I have been leading the hymns at the Solemn Novena every June for many years,” said Mrs Duggan.

The CD, produced by Brendan Frawley at his Brenhaven studio in Limerick and launched by Deputy Mayor Cllr Maria Byrne, is called Channel of Your Peace and costs €15.

Fr Seamus Enright, rector of Mount St Alphonsus, said rain had damaged a number of mosaics inside the church due to leaks in the roof.

“We are now in the first phase of major restoration work which will cost about €250,000. We have raised €220,000 and hopefully Frances Duggan’s CD will help raise some of the €30,000 needed to complete the work,” he said.

The church spire is being pointed and repair work is also being carried out to the bell tower from where the famous Mount St Alphonsus campanologists engulf the city with bell ringing every Sunday.