OUR LADY OF FATIMA
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
75,
Millerfield Road, Dalmarnock
The
beginning of the year 2004 saw an unusual event in Dalmarnock when the Catholic
Church closed down Our Lady of Fatima and amalgamated the parish with that of
the Sacred Heart. This latter is
the parish from which Our lady of Fatima was originally disjoined.
The last service was held on 28th January and the longer term plan is for the buildings to be demolished. What
makes this event so unusual is that there are very few instances when the
Catholic Church has undertaken such action in the east end of the city since its
progressive restoration from the late 18th century.
The churches of St. Nicholas’ and the Good Shepherd have gone, but for differing reasons. Some churches have been replaced, but to amalgamate in this fashion suggests that the Catholic Church in the east end is also having to respond to those pressures which have more adversely affected the other Churches. This has resulted in many notable buildings being removed from the locale. Almost needless to say, a building is not itself the Church, which continues, but it is a sad to see yet another piece of east end architecture possibly being torn down.
In
the scheme of things, the church Our Lady of Fatima did not have a long history,
having been established in 1950. It
was dedicated to the appearance of Mary to local children at Fatima in Portugal
in 1917, and the miraculous events which attended this. The Lady Altar in the church was centred upon the statue of
Our Lady of Fatima brought from Portugal soon after the parish was founded.
A small chapel to the north of the chancel housed both the Sacred Heart
Altar as well as the Tabernacle. Internally,
the exposed concrete portal frame commonly used as a cheaper
method of
construction by Cordiner is very evident and served to create a open space with
its own particular characteristics. In
later years, the west end of the nave had been partitioned off to provide space
for a variety of spaces which could be used for different purposes.
The
exterior of the building is in red brick to a design by Thomas Cordiner and was
built from 1950-53. It is similar
in several respects to the T.S. Cordiner church of St. Thomas the Apostle in
Riddrie which was built a few years later.
Like this last church too, the brickwork of Our Lady of Fatima was
adorned with a sculpture. In this instance it was of Our Lady, affixed to the bellcote.
Other similarities included the style of the Stations of the Cross.
In both of the churches these were in mosaic form and were displayed in
traditional way 
except that in Our Lady of Fatima there was a 15th
Station. This was a large mosaic by
James Connolly called “Elliptic Cross” which was used to represent
this 15th Station described as “Jesus breaks open the Tomb.”
Connolly’s work depicts a central, crucified figure, with a various
styles of cross at the base from differing Christian traditions.
The ethnic diversity of the faith is suggested by the multi-coloured
characters incorporated into the work.
The theme of mosaic artwork was continued onto the outside of the church buildings a few years ago when a triptych was created by a local youth club. The wall it was sited upon, the south of the clergy house, facing into Millerfield Street had been the subject of graffiti until the art work was displayed.
The building has now been emptied, with most of its contents either being stored or provided to other parishes for use.
(21/10/05)
© 2005 Gordon Adams
GALLERY:
Sacred
Heart Altar.