Stained Glass Windows
Our parish records concerning the sponsors and dedications of our stained glass windows are wonderfully supplemented by the survey carried out by the late Dr David Lawrence. His research was carried out as part of a wider project to record details of every stained glass window throughout the Church of Ireland, running from 1991 to 2017.
In the notes below, after a description of the meaning of the windows in the context of our parish, there is a link to the details recorded by Dr Lawrence for that window.
Floor plan
1 The Porch Windows (War memorial)
2 The North Window (Colvill Window)
3 The East Window (Symes Window)
4 The South Window (Cuppage Window)
1. The Porch Windows
The 1914 War Memorial Window
These two windows, Valour and Faith, form part of the combined War Memorial erected by the parishioners of Coolock Parish and Raheny Parish to commemorate the lives and deaths of 5 Coolock parishioners and one Raheny parishioner who died in the first world war.
The one facing you as you come out of the Church shows Valour, dressed as a soldier in a full coat of armour with his foot on a slain dragon leaning on his sword. To the right, Faith is represented as a lady carrying a lighted lamp, as well as having a shield.
The windows were produced by Sarah Purser’s Studios.
Gloine.ie records
Valour W08
Faith W09
2. The North Window
Also known as the Colvill Window
Two figures, representing Justice, carrying a sword, and Humility, holding a lamb, are portrayed in the window in the north transept. This is known as the Colvill window, and was given to the church in memory of James C. Colvill and his wife, Helen, of Coolock House, who died in 1897 and 1900, respectively.
This window is copied from an 1882 design by Sir Edward Burne-Jones for a window at Longwood, Mass., USA. The window came from the London studio of Morris and Burne-Jones, and is an example of the Pre-Raphaelite school. There are only two other examples of the work of this studio in Ireland.
Gloine.ie records
W07 page 1
W07 page 2
3. The East Window
Also known as the Symes Window
This window is on the east end of the church in the apse. Its three windows greet you immediately on your arrival into the main body of the church, reminding you of the current dedication of the church.
The church was dedicated to St John the Evangelist when it was rebuilt in 1760. We have no record of any stained glass in the church at that period. Indeed the East Window is thought to be the first window added, probably at the very end of the 19th Century c. 1896.
The theme is taken from the Revelation of St. John the Divine. Above the figure of St. John are the words “Now abideth Faith”, while underneath are the words “There shall be no more Death”. St. John is shown holding a bible in his hands.
Gloine.ie records
St John W01
4. The South Window
Also known as the Cuppage Window
In the south transept, we are reminded of a sad year in the life of the Cuppage family of Clare Hall (later called Clare Manor). In 1908, three of the family died at different times; Louise in June, her husband George in August and their son Vernon in December. The figures of Sorrow and Joy represent the words from Psalm 30, which gives hope to everyone:-“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Sorrow is holding a Crown of Thorns, while Joy has the sun rising behind her shoulder. The artist gives a nice little touch with an owl and a cock to show night and morning.
The Cuppage crest is in the circular window above.
Gloine.ie records
W02 page 1
W02 page 2
