Son of man who built iconic church cross on Cork's northside offers to build new one

A CORK engineer, whose father built the well-known rooftop cross at the Church of Ascension in Gurranabraher, has offered to build a new cross for the church after the original one detached from its cladding last week.

The 15ft-high cross was initially damaged following a series of storms in February, which caused it to tilt. The structure then fell from the church’s roof last Thursday night during heavy winds.

The cross was erected in 1962 and had become known as a landmark around Cork City.

David McGrath was a 16-year-old apprentice when he helped to build the original structure and was devastated by the news that it had fallen.

“He’s a very proud Gurranabraher man and his whole life he was telling us about that cross. He has a fierce attachment to it because it's a landmark. You can see it from all over Cork City,” said Mr McGrath’s son Patrick.

Speaking on Red FM, Patrick McGrath, who works with MSL Engineering, said that he has since offered to help repair the cross, or build a new one if needed. 

“We’re going to repair it and put it back up or else we’ll make a new one,” Mr McGrath said.

“I can’t imagine any insurance company saying to repair it because it’s so old and so corroded. There are new metals now that are better. You could do a new design and make a right job of it.” 

Mr McGrath visited the church over the weekend to assess the damage and told the parish priest, Very Rev Tomás Walsh SMA, that he would like to be involved with the project.

However, he noted that it might not be possible if the church's insurance company has its own arrangements. The company was due to make an assessment on the building yesterday.

“I’d be quite willing to do it. I’ll make myself available,” Mr McGrath said. “There’s a load of local lads from Gurranabraher working with us and they’re all mad to get involved and help the parish.

“If it was there for another 60 years wouldn’t it be brilliant.”